


The Spirits Come Out at Night

by Junliet



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Adventure, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Idk what i'm doing, M/M, Romance if you squint, Spirited Away - Freeform, Spirited Away AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2020-09-25 09:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20374828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Junliet/pseuds/Junliet
Summary: A small, yellow car full of bags and suitcases drove down the picturesque town road. Watching the scenery speed by in a colourful blur, a young man with messy brown curls lay in the backseat of the car, holding a bunch of vibrant tulips and white lilies close to his chest. He fiddled with the handwritten note attached, messy kanji spelling out "Good luck Shoma-kun! We'll meet again. Your best friend, Keiji."(AKA the Spirited Away AU no one asked for as a present for a queen <3 )





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShoSpecial](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShoSpecial/gifts).

> Hi everyone! This might not be updated for a while, but I really wanted to upload it today. ShoSpecial, I really hope you enjoy this present! 
> 
> This is the character list:  
Chihiro: Shoma  
Sen: Aki (I am reliably informed that one of the kanji in Shoma's name is Aki)  
Haku: Yuzuru  
Yubaba: Plushenko  
Kamaji: Kikuchi  
No face: Patrick  
Lin: Kanako  
Zeniba: Yagudin  
The baby: Alina
> 
> Please enjoy this first chapter even if I don't update for ages xx

A small, yellow car full of bags and suitcases drove down the picturesque town road. Watching the scenery speed by in a colourful blur, a young man with messy brown curls lay in the backseat of the car, holding a bunch of vibrant tulips and white lilies close to his chest. He fiddled with the handwritten note attached, messy kanji spelling out "Good luck Shoma-kun! We'll meet again. Your best friend, Keiji."

"Shoma," a gentle, masculine voice said softly, "Shoma, we're almost there."

Shoma lowered the bouquet of flowers and frowned at his trainers with a sigh, still lying across the backseat of the car.

"This really is in the middle of nowhere," a more feminine voice mused aloud as they kept on driving. "We're going to have to go to the next town to do our shopping and everything."

"It'll be great once we're used to it," the man said slowly, and Shoma turned in the seat to get more comfortable, bags laying all around him on the back seats.

"Look Shoma," his father said with a smile, pointing out of the window, "there's your new school. Looks good, right?"

"It looks good," his mother said, a hint of a smile in her voice.

Shoma held his flowers closer, frown deepening as he shuffled to look out of the car window. He stuck his tongue out at the building before he lay back down on the seat again. "I liked my old school, with Keiji and my friends. This one will suck." He held the flowers closer as a few petals fell. "And my flowers are dying..."

"Well," his mother said gently, "I did tell you to stop fiddling with them. We'll put them in water right away when we get to our new home. And try to be a little more enthusiastic about your new school Shoma."

Shome flopped back in his seat, staring out of the window. "Why is it that the first time I get a bouquet of flowers it's a goodbye present? That's depressing."

"Dai, your father, bought you a rose for your birthday. Remember?"

"Doesn't count," Shoma mumbled. "Just one rose isn't a bouquet."

"You dropped your card," she passed the small slip of card back to him, "and I know how much Keiji meant to you, so keep it safe, okay?"

"'Mkay," he mumbled.

She opened the car window as they carried on driving through the forest towards their new home and new town. The scenery sped by; houses and a city landscape soon turned into trees and greenery. They crossed a bridge and the road turned into a track instead.

"Did I take a wrong turn?" Daisuke asked. "This can't be right, can it?"

"Look!" Mao pointed out of the window, and Shoma looked up too, "there's our new home. That blue one on the end."

"I must have taken a wrong turn back there then. This path should get us there though."

"Dai, don't take a shortcut. Just look at the map."

"Mao, sweetheart, I don't need a map. I'm confident that this road will get us there in no time."

"And I'm confident that you will get us completely lost." she countered as Daisuke kept following the track.

"What are those stones?" Shoma asked, pointing out of the window. "They look like little houses."

"They're shrines," Mao explained gently as the car sped away from them, deeper into the forest, "some people think that spirits live there."

Shoma shivered and sat back in his seat, holding the flowers close to his chest again. Daisuke drove through the forest, hitting potholes and uneven sections of the path. Shoma bounced around in the back of the car as Daisuke weaved along the path between the trees.

"Slow down! You're going to kill us!" Mao shouted as the trees started to thin out.

"What's that?" Daisuke shouted as he slammed hard on the brakes. Shoma almost fell out of his seat, groaning as he struggled to orientate himself. "Is that a tunnel?" Daisuke asked, softer.

"What... Is this?" Mao asked slowly, unbuckling her seat belt as she opened the car door and climbed out.

"Must be an entrance," Daisuke climbed out too, inspecting the area. "It's not old. Just fake. The stones are made of plaster."

Shoma climbed out, leaving the bouquet on his seat, and slipped his hand into Daisuke's as they stared into the tunnel together. "The wind's pulling us in," he mumbled, more to himself than his father.

"What is it?" Mao asked, standing next to the both of them.

"Come on let's go in," Daisuke said with a smile, "I want to see what's on the other side."

"No way! Nuh uh! It gives me the creeps!" Shoma said, shaking his head firmly.

"The movers will get there before we do." Mao pointed out as she peered into the dark tunnel.

"So let them arrive first. They've got the keys. They can start unloading without us." Daisuke said as he set off into the tunnel. "Come on."

"Just a quick look then," Mao said with a nod.

"No way!" Shoma let go and ran back to the car. He paused, frowning as his parents didn't follow him. "Come on. Look, I'm excited to go to our new home."

"No need to be so scared Shoma," his mother said softly, and Daisuke offered him his hand, "we'll be with you the whole time. You won't be on your own, I promise."

"I'm not going!" He said firmly.

His parents set off with a light shrug, and he huffed, sitting down on a rock. After a second, he glanced down and realised that the rock had two faces. Looking around, he swore he heard a branch snap behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he ran after his parents, slipping his hand into Mao's. The trio walked through the red plaster tunnel together, reaching a room with benches and an exit on the other side. Stained glass windows cast different colours across the floor, and large, white plaster pillars held the ceiling up.

"What is that?" Shoma asked softly as Mao listened too. "It sounds like a train."

"We must be near a station. Let's have a look."

Shoma nodded and his parents headed towards the exit with him. Shoma glanced over his shoulder at the door they'd come through before he shook his head, stepping out into the light.

A large, grass covered hill stood before them, and little houses were dotted around the area. A stone path led over the brow of the hill and beyond.

"What are those buildings?" Shoma asked.

"It's an abandoned theme park," Daisuke said slowly, "it must be. They built them everywhere in the early '90s. Then the economy went bad and they all went bankrupt."

He set off along the path and Shoma frowned slightly. "Hey! You said just a quick look. Come on, let's go back."

The wind rushed past Shoma, pushing him forwards, and he ran to catch up with his mother and father again.

"What a beautiful place," his mother sighing, looking out over the rolling hills as they followed the stone path. "We should have brought our lunch so that we could have had a picnic."

Daisuke hopped over a bunch of stones to a set of stairs on the other side. "They were planning to put in a river too it seems." He paused, sniffing the air. "Woah, do you two smell that? Something smells delicious."

"You're right," Mao said, smelling too. "And I'm starting to get hungry."

"Maybe this park is still in business. Come on, let's get some food!"

"Sho, sweetie, hurry up," Mao said as she and Daisuke headed towards the faded buildings. Shoma jumped over the last few rocks, letting out a small shriek as he nearly fell into the shallow water.

"Wait for me!"

Daisuke headed up a set of stairs, taking in the empty buildings. All were muted reds and browns, and their decorations within the windows lined the streets with colour.

"How strange," Mao mused aloud, "they're all restaurants. No gift shops or attractions?"

"There is it!" Daisuke said with a grin as he rushed into the one restaurant with the light on. Steam from the cooking rose up from the pan, and Daisuke settled into one of the stools set next to the piles and piles of different dishes.

"Wow, this looks incredible," Mao said, settling down on a stool too. "Come on Shoma, it looks delicious!"

Shoma glanced in and wrinkled his nose at the multitude of vegetable dishes. There wasn't a piece of meat in sight.

"No thank you," he mumbled, looking away.

"Hello?" Daisuke shouted. "Anybody work here?"

He glanced around, frowning at the completely deserted kitchen area.

"Don't worry," Mao said gently, "we can pay them when they get back."

"Good plan." He picked up a bowl of ramen and vegetables as Mao picked up a bowl of mixed vegetables too.

"I wonder what this is called," she mused as he tucked into the ramen. "Oh this tastes amazing. Come and try some Shoma!"

"I don't want any. They're going to get mad when they come back and found that you ate all their food. Let's just go to our new home."

"Don't worry. Your dad is here after all," Daisuke said, loading up a plate full of different vegetable-based dishes. "He's got cash and cards to pay the bill with. Just sit and eat for a while Shoma. You must be hungry."

"I'm not trying anything. There’s no meat! It’s all just vegetables and… bleurgh." Shoma said firmly, watching as his parents just kept eating. With a sick feeling in his stomach, he turned away and left the restaurant to explore the abandoned park alone.

He took in the lanterns above his head, and climbed another set of stairs up to what looked like a red shrine. To his left, across another bridge, was a huge red building. Out of a grey tower to the left of it, thick black smoke was pouring out. Shoma stared at it wide eyed as he slowly approached the bridge.

"A bathhouse?" he asked no one, stepping onto the bridge very cautiously.

He headed over to the railing and looked over. A train track ran underneath, and he saw the yellow and red train speed across the track from under the bridge. He rushed across, leaning over the other railing to watch it go into the distance. The sun was dipping in the sky, casting long shadows and bathing the park in a beautiful, dimming orange light. Shoma sighed, tilting his head idly, when someone gasped behind him.

Shoma turned to see a young man staring at him, dressed in a white shirt, covered in gold and black swirls, and black velvet trousers. A golden belt was wrapped around his thin waist, and the breeze moved his black hair around his wide, almost black eyes. His mouth had fallen open in shock as he studied Shoma.

"You shouldn't be here," the other man said, eyes narrowing at the other when he regained his senses. He approached him, and the younger man flinched back. "Get out of here! Now!"

"H-huh--?" Shoma started talking. The other man grabbed his arm and half shoved him off the bridge.

"It's almost night. Leave, now! Before it gets dark."

The sun dipped lower, lengthening the shadows even more, and the lanterns dotted along the path light up. The other man frowned, nose wrinkling.

"They're lighting the lanterns. Go!" He shoved Shoma fully, who broke out into a run. "You've got to get back across the river! Go! Now! I'll distract them."

Shoma ran for his life as the other man stood in front of the bridge. He rubbed his fingers together and blew shards of what looked like glass across the bridge and into the breeze.

Shoma ran down the stairs, nearly tripping, as the lanterns around him started to light. Each restaurant he passed, he saw black silhouettes sitting at the tables and working behind the counters, cooking the food. He turned the corner and ran into the restaurant he had left his parents in.

"Mum! Dad! Come on, stop eating! We have to g--" Shoma gasped, cutting himself off. His parents were gone. Instead, in their place, were two pigs.

Shoma screamed and flinched back in blind panic and confusion. With another scream, he ran out into the street lit by the lanterns and the rising moon. More and more silhouettes filled the street, and he shook himself off, running back towards the river.

"Mum! Dad! Where are you? Mum! Mum! Dad!"

He tripped over his own feet running down the last set of stairs and tumbled into the river. Luckily it only came up to his waist, and he climbed back out, shivering a little.

"W-water?" He gasped, looking across the river at the entrance he'd come through earlier in the day. The orange lights made the red entrance look like it was encrusted with gold, and a brightly lit barge sailed past too.

Shoma slapped himself hard across the face. "I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, I have to be dreaming." When he opened his eyes and found the same scenery, he tried it again. "Come on, wake up!"

He sank to his knees, covering his eyes sadly. When he blinked, however, he gasped as he saw the floor through his hands. Standing up, he could see the entrance on the other side through them too.

"I'm see through! I'm disappearing! Mum! Dad! Help! It has to be a dream! This has to all just be a bad dream!"

Next to him, the barge stopped, and masked spirits stepped off in a procession. In terror, Shoma climbed up the bank and ran through the collection of little houses around, curling up by one and hiding.

“It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s all just a bad dream, none of it’s real,” Shoma mumbled to himself, face pressed into his knees.

"Hey," Shoma nearly jumped out of his skin in terror as the young man from before gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't be afraid. I’m a friend. I just want to help you."

"No!" Shoma shook his head, burying his face in his hands. "No, go away! Please just go away!"

The other man calmly moved his hands away from his face and offered him a berry. "Eat this. You have to eat some food from this world. If you don't, you'll disappear."

Shoma tried to push him away, but his hand went right through his shoulder.

"Don't worry," the other man said gently, feeding him the berry. "It won't turn you into a pig. Trust me. Chew, and swallow."

Shoma resisted, but eventually accepted the berry and swallowed, turning solid once again.

"There you go. You're all fine. See?" The other held up his hand.

Shoma lightly touched it, finger tips brushing against the other's smooth palm instead of going straight through it. “I’m okay…”

"See? You're okay. Now come on." The other stood up, offering him a hand.

"W-what about my parents? My mum and dad? They didn't really turn into pigs, did they?"

"You can't see them now, but you will..." he trailed off, eyes narrowing at the sky. He shoved Shoma against the wall and protected him with his arms and body. "Quiet! Don't move," he whispered.

A black bird with a human head circled the area, looking down from above. The other man's eyes narrowed at it as he protected Shoma from view, watching as it circled the area from above before it took off towards the bath house.

"That bird was looking for you. You have to get out of here. There’s no time."

Shoma's knees locked as he tried to stand up. "I-I can't move..."

"Calm down. Take a deep breath. It's okay." The other man held his hand over Shoma's leg, frowning at them. "In the name of the wind and water within thee, unbind him. Now. Get up."

He pulled Shoma to his feet and, before he properly had time to register what was going on, he tugged him along. The pair ran together, past the buildings, through countless doorways that the other opened with magic, down a set of stairs, through a food storage room, a pig pen, out into the open again, and up to the bridge. Hundreds of spirits walked along the bridge, and they stopped together.

"You have to hold your breath as we cross the bridge," the man explained quickly and quietly to Shoma. "Even the tiniest breath will break the spell, and then everyone will be able to see you. Clear?"

Shoma nodded, holding onto his shoulder and arm. "I'm scared."

"Just stay calm and keep quiet," he said softly, unlocking a gate that brought them out right next to the bridge. He turned to the attendants with a neutral expression and schooled features. "I'm back from my mission."

"Welcome back Master Hanyu!" one of the attendants said brightly. Hanyu didn't even bother responding; he headed right towards the bridge.

"Take a deep breath," he whispered. Shoma followed the instructions quickly, covering his nose and mouth. "And hold it."

They stepped onto the bridge together, and Hanyu walked as fast as he dared. He didn't look in any other direction, only forwards, as they approached the end of the bridge. At one end, countless ladies smiled and bowed to the visitors and guests who approached them.

“Just a little further,” Hanyu whispered to him and the other nodded rapidly. Shoma desperately needed to breathe, but he could make it! He could—

"Yuzuru Hanyu!" A frog jumped down in front of him, less than a full step before the end of the bridge. "Where have you been?"

Shome broke and snatched a breath. The frog's look turned to a glare.

"A human?! Wha--"

Yuzuru trapped the frog inside magic and grabbed Shoma's hand, flying through the crowd with him. The pair slipped out of a little gate, which Yuzuru shut firmly behind him. They hid behind the bathhouse together in the gardens, listening to the commotion that Yuzuru's return and a human intruder had caused.

"They know you're here," Yuzuru mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I took a breath."

"It's alright. I should have moved faster. You did very well Shoma." Yuzuru looked at him seriously, holding his shoulders protectively. "Now, listen and I will tell you what you need to do."

Shoma looked at him seriously with wide eyes, and Yuzuru frowned, clearing his throat. "You can't stay here. They'll find you. And then you'll never be able to save your parents. I will create a diversion. In the meantime, you will escape, okay?"

"No! Don't leave me alone. Stay with me, please!" Shoma held Yuzuru's hands tightly, trying to hide his terror. The other man smiled very kindly and squeezed his hands lightly.

"It's okay Shoma. You don't have a choice if you want to help your parents and want to survive here."

"They did turn into pigs," Shoma mumbled mournfully, "I... I wasn't dreaming..."

Yuzuru pushed Shoma's hair out of his eyes gently. "It's alright. What you have to do is head down to the boiler room when things quieten down. Go out through the back gate. Then take the stairs, all the way down, until you reach that room, where they stoke the fires. There you will meet Kikuchi, the boiler man."

"Kikuchi?" Shoma repeated slowly.

Yuzuru nodded. "Yes. You must find him and beg him to work here. Even if he refuses, you must insist on it. If you don't get a job, Plushenko will turn you into an animal."

"W-what?" Shoma whispered in disbelief.

"The sorcerer who rules our world and the bathhouse in particular." Yuzuru explained, rubbing Shoma's hand gently as he spoke. "Kikuchi will try to turn you away, or trick you into leaving. You must insist. You must work here. Just keep asking. It will be hard work, but you will be able to stay close to your parents. It’ll give you a chance, and even Plushenko won't be able to harm you if you work here."

"Master Hanyu? Where is he? We need him!" Someone shouted. Yuzuru squeezed Shoma's hands gently.

"I have to go, Shoma. Remember, please, that I am your friend."

"How did you know my name is Shoma?"

"I've known you since you were small, Shoma. My name is Yuzuru, but everyone else here calls me Master Hanyu." Yuzuru said softly, squeezing his hands again. "Good luck Shoma, and, whatever you do, don't make a sound."

He stood up and walked out of the garden area, leaving Shoma on his own.

"Master Hanyu, where are you?"

"Calm down," Yuzuru said sternly, heading into the bathhouse. "I'm coming."

"Master Hanyu, Plushenko wants to see you!"

"I know. It's about my task."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shoma crawled away from the house, through the garden, and slipped out of the back door. He stepped down on the first stair, pausing to watch the train go past. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the first wooden step, and then the next, tentatively heading down them. The wind moved his curls as he slipped down a few steps at once, letting out a small squeak. He closed his eyes firmly, steeling himself, before he lowered his foot onto the next step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, this story is back! I don't know how much I'll be able to update soon cause I'm going to go through some really big life changes, so yeah, I'll do my best to try and update as much as I can.   
Anyway, I don't know what to say other than please enjoy this update, especially ShoSpecial. Enjoy!!!

Shoma crawled away from the house, through the garden, and slipped out of the back door. He stepped down on the first stair, pausing to watch the train go past. Slowly, he lowered himself onto the first wooden step, and then the next, tentatively heading down them. The wind moved his curls as he slipped down a few steps at once, letting out a small squeak. He closed his eyes firmly, steeling himself, before he lowered his foot onto the next step.

It broke.

Shoma shrieked and ran down the rest of the stairs in terror, crashing into the wall at the bottom with his momentum. He pressed himself further against the wall, hiding as he slipped around the corner towards the door of the boiler room. He tugged it open and slipped inside with a frown. Steam filled the room and he turned the corner, looking at it in awe.

Turning a wheel, sitting on top of a box just before the boiler, was an old man with four arms. On the lowered ground between Shoma and him was a line of soot creatures, carrying black rocks to the furnace. Occasionally, the man mixed spices together, pulled levers, and turned the wheel in front of him. Shoma backed away slightly before he steeled his nerves properly and headed in. The soot particles disappeared into the mouse holes in the edge of the floor and Shoma spoke up very quietly.

"Um, excuse me."

The man ignored him and kept working. Shoma headed closer to him.

"A-are you Kikuchi?"

The older man peered at Shoma studying his face. Shome leaned back as far as he dared.

"Yuzuru told me to come here and find you and ask for work, could you give me a job please?"

A bunch of red tokens dropped down in front of the older man and he frowned. "More bath tokens? And all at once too." He looked past them at Shoma and hammered on the side of his wheel. "Come on! Work time!" He then looked at Shoma directly. "Yes. I am Kikuchi. Slave to the boiler that heats the baths."

The soot balls carrying their black lumps of coal came out of the mouse holes, surrounding Shoma.

"Please, I've got to get a job here!" Shoma argued.

"I don't need you to do a job. I have all the help i need. I just enchant the soot to work for me."

Shoma moved out of the way as the pieces of soot approached him. He found himself pushed against the corner, trying not to get in the way as Kikuchi reached into the draws behind him with one of his long arms. Shoma pulled his knees up, resting his chin on them with a frown.

One of the balls of enchanted soot in front of him dropped the coal and squealed from underneath it. With a little gasp, Shoma lifted the heavy rock up off the creature. It looked up at him before it darted back into the mouse hole.

"U-uh... what do I do with this?" Shoma asked quietly, still holding the coal.

"Finish what you have started," Kikuchi said firmly. Shoma shuffled along with the rest of the creatures and threw the coal into the fire when it was his turn. The other creatures looked at him before they all dropped their pieces on themselves, squealing.

"Want to be turned back into soot? If you don't work, the spell wears off and you become soot again!" Kikuchi said firmly to the creatures. "And you," he turned to Shoma, "you can't just take someone else's job."

"But sir, I really need a job!"

"Chow time!" Shoma and Kikuchi both looked up to see a young woman wearing a red shirt and matching trousers as well as a blue apron. She handed Kikuchi a bowl of rice and meat, and collected his empty plate and cup. "Are you guys fighting again?"

"Meal time, take a break," he said loudly, and the soot balls from around Shoma bounced over to the lady. She fed them coloured stars before she spotted him staring.

"You!" You're the human! You're in trouble! You're the one everyone's looking for upstairs."

"He's my grandson," Kikuchi said calmly, eating.

"Grandson?" She asked.

"He says he wants to work here, but I've got all the help I need. Would you take him to see Plushenko? He's a tough young man. I think he can handle it."

"Not a chance Kikuchi. You want me to risk my life?" she asked, throwing more coloured stars from her basket to the soot balls.

"What if I give you this roasted newt?" Kikuchi offered. She frowned, swiping it from him. He turned to face Shoma seriously. "If you want a job, you'll have to make a deal with Plushenko."

"Come on young man. You'd better follow me." The lady said, tucking the newt into her pocket.

"Y-yes Ma'am!" Shoma mumbled, tripping over himself. He sat down on the edge of the step up and pulled off his shoes and socks, placing them on the ground where the soot balls moved them out of the way. and out of sight. He then crawled towards the doorway.

"Thank the boiler man. He's really sticking his neck out for you, you know."

Shoma turned and bowed his head respectfully to the old man. "T-thank you Kikuchi-san."

"Good luck with Plushenko." the old man replied.

Shoma bowed his head once more before he turned and crawled out of the boiler room.

“We have to go to the top floor,” the lady explained as she led Shoma down a corridor, “since that’s where Plushenko lives.”

Shoma looked around himself, taking in the huge cogs turning around him working pulleys and chains. In front of them were several sets of stairs, leading higher and higher up the building. Everything was made of old, deep brown timber, and warm orange glows spilt out from under doorways, half illuminating sections up the wall. Two lifts were sorted on the pulleys, and Shoma looked almost directly up to see the sheer intense height of the bathhouse.

"Get over here!" the lady shook Shoma out of his daze with her voice, and he scampered over, jumping into one of the service lifts with her.

She pulled the lever on the side and they started going up. Shoma held onto one of the wooden slats and dared to look down as the ground almost rapidly moved away from them.

"Do you want to lose your nose there?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at Shoma. He flinched back and let go, moving his face away from the solid wall on the outside of the lift.

The lift went up through the bathhouse, showing Shoma tiny glimpses of the inner workings. There were so many floors, and each was full of people rushing around with food, frogs running around with bath tokens, and other staff flitted around the hallways to keep the bathhouse running smoothly. The lift eventually stopped on the top floor it would go to, and the lady looked left and right. The corridor was completely deserted, and she waved for Shoma to follow her out and into the hallway. The slipped past a kitchen where several men were carrying trays of fish and sushi as others were filling black pots with different cuts of meat and vegetables. Shoma wrinkled his nose at the sight of the vegetables before he trotted after the lady.

On the corner of the corridor, with yellow walls and pink carnation decorations painted on them too, another service lift was stopped. A young woman stepped out carrying several black bowls down the hallway towards a different kitchen. Shoma was tugged into the now empty lift, and he and the lady carried on up the building.

"We're almost there," she said, adjusting her wooden basket that she'd kept the food for the soot particles in.

"Y-yes, right, okay," Shoma mumbled before he turned to look through the wooden slats on the other side.

He could see out into the river, lined with bright lanterns. He was so high up now compared to where he'd been before.

"Here we are," her voice cut him out of his thoughts, and the lift soon raised to a stop.

Shoma gasped before he covered his mouth quickly. There, standing in the entry way of the lift, was a colossal white creature with a white towel in one hand and what appeared to be a red loin cloth on. It had a huge red hat on, and long droopy white things on its face that resembled a beard or droopy moustache. The lady tensed with her hand on the lever.

"W-Welcome!" She said brightly with a forced smile. The white thing looked at both of them before it pointed up.

"This lift is not in service sir. Please use another one," she said quickly, blocking Shoma from view more before they both slipped out of the lift and into the hallway.

Again, Shoma was almost overwhelmed by everything going on. It was almost stiflingly hot in the bathhouse, and he tugged at the collar of his shirt. There was so much noise too, and a huge array of creatures he didn't even believe would exist. The white thing followed them as they crossed high above some of the baths on a wooden bridge with muted red railings. Shoma couldn't help but stare at how many creatures were soaking in the tubs with ladies scrubbing them with different salts and brushes. He then dared to glance behind them, swallowing.

"He's following us--"

"Quit gawking."

They stopped in front of a new lift and she pressed the button on the door before she closed her eyes. Shoma stood between her and the lift, and the white creature came to stand on her other side. Shoma let out a little gasp as the lift doors opened and different coloured bull like creatures with long, multicoloured hair stepped out with a guide directing them.

"Here we are!" the guide tipped his hat and brightly gestured them forwards. The creatures left, and the guide followed them out. "Your rooms are just here on the right!" He paused behind them, sniffing at the air. "Hm. Kanako?"

"Yes?" She shoved Shoma into the lift quickly, and he was soon blocked from sight by the white creature. She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the guide: a shorter man than her with almost frog like features.

"What's that smell? It's human! You reek of human!"

"Is that so?"

"I smell it, I do. Smells mighty tasty too."

Shoma swallowed before he was backed right into a corner by the white creature; it filled the entire lift space easily leaving him barely enough room to breathe.

"You're hiding something!" The guide continued. "Tell me! Now!"

Kanako sighed and pulled the roasted newt out of her pocket. "Only this. Is this what you're smelling?"

"R-roasted... Gimmie!" The guide jumped for it and she held it easily out of his way, almost laughing as she taunted him.

"Not a chance! It's for the other girls."

"I'm begging you! I'll settle for just a leg!"

She held the newt higher as he tried to grab it, and she glanced back into the lift. "Anyone looking to go up, please press the lever down."

Shoma squeezed his way past the white creature, pressed right up against the wall, and he reached for the lever on the wall. With both hands, he pulled down on it sharply. The red lift doors then shut, leaving him and the white creature alone to continue up in the building together.

Kanako half smiled when the doors shut, and she shoved the entire roasted newt into her mouth. Smirking at the guard, she chewed and continued on her way to do her work.

The ride in the lift was silent. Shoma pinned himself to one wall and the white creature stood stoically in the middle of the lift. After what felt like an eternity to Shoma, the doors to the lift opened. A long hallway was revealed with several shadows moving behind closed shoji. Figures moved at the end of the hallway, and Shoma stared in confusion. The white creature reached out a hand and pulled the lever further down, closing the doors and starting their journey up again. The painful silence came back, stifling the air in the lift, before it finally stopped again, this time on a floor that was a lot dimmer. The white creature stepped out, and Shoma glanced at the corridor. Two almost identical red doors stood next to each other, and they were the only things in the hallway. The white creature glanced at Shoma before it stepped back into the lift. The doors closed firmly, shutting Shoma out and leaving him in the hallway.

Shoma blinked at the two red doors before he cautiously walked across the tiled floor towards them. Climbing the small marble stairs up, he took in every detail, looking in sheer awe at everything. He swallowed, took a deep breath, and then stepped up to the door. He took hold of one of the gold door handles and tugged lightly.

"Not going to knock?"

Shoma flinched back as a golden, face shaped door knocker snapped at him. Its eyes rolled around before they fixed on him again. "What a puny little boy."

Shoma bristled at that, but the sound of a lock clicked. He watched as the set of doors opened before him, followed by another set behind them, and another set behind them, and yet another set behind them. Doors kept opening until they settled on one closed door at the end of the corridor. Chandeliers illuminated throughout the now revealed corridor, and Shoma tensed up.

"Come closer," someone from deep within asked, and Shoma held his shirt tightly in one hand, fear running down his spine. He didn't move.

"I said closer." The voice repeated, and Shoma let out a gasp.

The front of his shirt bunched up as if it was held in someone's fist, and he was pulled down the corridor. Each set of doors that had opened up for him slammed behind him and locked, shutting him off from the uneasy comfort that being out there provided to him. He was pulled down a corridor lined with ornately decorated vases that reached from floor to ceiling, then down another, darker corridor. Finally he was tugged around a corner and a set of doors opened up again for him. Shoma's foot caught on the edge of a rug and he was sent tumbling across the floor, landing on his face in front of a lit fireplace. Plush armchairs sat around the room, and modest decorations lined the mantle above the fireplace. Shoma pushed his head up and sat on the floor, rubbing the side that he'd smacked down first.

"Oww, oww, oww." three green heads jumped towards Shoma from across the floor, and he backed away from them in panic.

"You're making a racket. Keep it down over there."

Shoma looked up and gasped before he slapped a hand over his mouth. There, behind the desk, was unmistakably Plushenko. He had slightly wild blonde hair, flowing blue clothes, several rings and bracelets on, and he didn't even look up at Shoma as he continued writing something at the desk. The three heads eventually stopped tormenting poor Shoma and bounced over to the man behind the desk.

"U-Um..." Shome fiddled with his hands before he cleared his throat and remembered what Yuzuru had told him to do. "Please let me work here!"

Plushenko raised an eyebrow at Shoma before he waved a hand across. Shoma's mouth zipped up and, as much as he tried, he couldn't get it open to speak.

"Stop babbling. You're just a useless weakling. Besides, this is no place for humans. It's a bath house, where eight million gods can rest their weary bones. Your parents really had some nerve! Gobbling our guests' food like pigs. Just deserts, I'd say. And you'll never see your world again either." He stopped to light a cigar and sighed, leaning back in his chair as he breathed out the smoke. "You'd make a lovely piglet. Or maybe a lump of coal."

Shoma just stared at him with his stomach churning and mouth still clamped shut.

Plushenko took another drag of the cigar before he laughed. "I see you're trembling. Actually, I'm impressed you made it this far. Someone must have helped you. I must thank your friend. Just who was it, my dear? You can tell me."

He waved a hand, and Shoma's mouth was unzipped. Making a split second decision, Shoma blurted out his next words. "Please let me work here!"

"Not that again!" Plushenko snapped.

"I want to work here!" Shoma shouted back with desperation acting as a form of courage.

"Shut up!" Plushenko shouted, and papers went flying as a wind was conjured up. He launched himself across the room, flying before he landed right in front of Shoma. "Why should I hire you? Anyone can see you're a lazy, spoiled, crybaby. Stupid to boot. I've nothing for you. Forget it. I've got all the bums I need around here." He paced around Shoma, poking him in the back. "Or maybe you'd like the worst, nastiest job I've got," Shoma trembled as he kept speaking. "until you breathe your very last breath?"

Something shook the room, and Shoma tried very hard not to flinch Both Plushenko and he tensed up, and the green heads bounced away as books and paper went flying. A baby's cry sounded from one of the rooms off the main room, and both Shoma and Plushenko looked up in the direction of it in horror. A green wooden door splintered as a baby broke through it and

stepped out into the main room.

"Stop that!" Plushenko let go of Shoma and raced over to the child, ushering it back into the other room behind the curtains. "What's wrong? I'll be right there. That's a good baby now, Alina." The cries started to die down, and Plushenko looked over the curtain at Shoma. "What? You're still here? Get out already!"

"I want to work here!" Shoma repeated firmly, standing in front of the now gone out fire.

"Don't shout!" Plushenko hissed before he was kicked in the head by the baby. She started crying again and he sighed. "I'll be right there, I promise. There's a good baby, there, there."

"Please let me work!"

"Okay, okay, just pipe down. There there baby!" Plushenko disappeared into the other room for way too long, calming down the baby.

Shoma waited as dread pooled in his stomach. A sheet of paper from the pile across the floor lifted and, with a pen, it floated over to Shoma. He took hold of both and looked down in confusion.

"Your contract." Plushenko said firmly. "Sign your name. I'll put you to work." He waved a hand and the room started to straighten itself. "But one peep out of you about anything, and I'll turn you into a piglet."

"Um, I sign my name here?" Shoma asked in a timid voice as he pointed to a blank space on the page.

"That's right. Quit dilly-dallying and do it."

Shoma knelt down on the floor and wrote the kanji for his name with careful pen strokes.

"Unbelievable," Plushenko tugged on a rope, ringing the bell, "that ridiculous oath I took, to give work to whoever asks. Signed it?"

"Y-Yes," Shoma sat back on his heels and the paper moved away from him almost instantly, landing on the desk in front of Plushenko. He scanned it.

"So, your name is Shoma?"

"Yes."

"What an extravagant name." He commented before he waved a hand over the paper. Most of the kanji came off the page and into his hand where he wrapped them up, leaving just one. "From now on, you will be known as Aki. You got that? You're Aki. Answer me Aki!"

Shoma flinched back but nodded. "Y-Yes!"

"Did you call?"

Both Shoma and Plushenko turned to see Yuzuru standing in the doorway. He completely blanked Shoma and focused entirely on Plushenko, giving him his undivided attention.

"This child's starting work as of now. Look after him."

"Yes," Yuzuru bowed his head before he looked at Shoma. "Your name?"

"Huh? Sho- oh... Aki."

"Follow me then, Aki." Yuzuru turned on his heel and left the room, not looking back to see if Shoma was following him or not.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pair got back in the lift together and started to descend through the building in silence. Aki couldn't help but sneak little glances at the other as Yuzuru remained almost perfectly still, with only his light movements from his breathing and blinking indicating that he wasn't just a statue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, yes, this story is back one more time before the end of the decade and the start of new year! I had to update it because I updated all my other wips kind of recently but not this one, so yeah. I hope you all enjoy this, big thank yous as always to the lovely ShoSpecial, and happy new year to you all!!

The pair got back in the lift together and started to descend through the building in silence. Aki couldn't help but sneak little glances at the other as Yuzuru remained almost perfectly still, with only his light movements from his breathing and blinking indicating that he wasn't just a statue. His expression was unreadable, and Aki swallowed before he spoke.

"Yuzuru, um--"

"No idle chatter," he cut him off with a cold glare out of the corner of his eye, looking down at Aki, "and call me Master Hanyu."

Aki gaped at him in confusion and shock before he nodded, to himself after Yuzuru had stopped looking at him, and went back to looking forward again at the inside of the lift. Down and down the pair went until they stepped out to take the service lift instead, still in total silence with Aki trailing behind Yuzuru. They then stepped out of that and headed down the stairs, through the living quarters of the workers where everyone whispered as Aki passed them. The child himself cringed, but Yuzuru didn't even bat an eyelid at the chatter that rushed past them like the wind through fields of rice. Yuzuru took Aki down to the desk and explained the situation, still without looking at Aki.

"Even on Plushenko's orders," the man at the desk smirked, "we can't allow humans to work."

Around them, everyone and anyone who worked there, except Plushenko himself, was glaring at Aki and covering their nose. Yuzuru stood perfectly still and narrowed his eyes at the two behind the desk.

"His contract is signed." he stated simply, earning gasps of shock from everyone that echoed around the room.

"What?"

"Thank you everyone," Aki said quickly, trying to help, and he bowed his head. More of the workers near him moved away, covering their noses with fans or cloths.

"Don't send him to us."

"Can't bear that human stink."

Yuzuru rolled his eyes. "Three days of eating our food and his human smell will vanish. If he's still useless then, fry him, boil him, do with him as you will."

Aki gaped at him in shock, earning light snorts of laughter from the people gathered around him.

"Back to work!" Yuzuru snapped as he looked through the crowd. "Where is Kanako?"

"Huh?!" Kanako, who had been leaning against the door frame and watching from afar, glared at Yuzuru. "Oh no, don't you dump him on me!"

"You wanted help," Yuzuru pointed out, still calm as people grumbled and moved back to their work around him and Aki.

"That's right," one of the men from behind the desk couldn't hold back his snicker, "Kanako's just perfect."

"Go, Aki."

"Y-Yes sir!" Aki stuttered as he tripped over his feet making his way over to Kanako.

"What a pain in the ass," she muttered to herself before she shot a glare at Yuzuru and spoke up. "You're going to pay for this!"

Yuzuru, not listening, walked off out of the room as the two men at the desk just started laughing. "Off you go Kanako! Enjoy!"

She rolled her eyes at them and started to go before she noticed that Aki wasn't following her. "Come on, you. Let's go."

"Y-yes ma'am!" Aki bowed to the pair at the desk before he ran after her down the corridor to catch up.

Once they'd rounded two corners, Kanako stopped in front of the sliding glass doors that overlooked the ocean caused by the rainwater and rising of the lake. She smiled brightly at Aki.

"So, you pulled it off, huh?"

Aki gaped at her in disbelief as she kept speaking.

"You're a bit dim so I was kind of worried about you, but you made it through! Keep your wits about you now, okay? And if you need something, ask me."

Aki bowed his head and her face fell as she watched his face crumple.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

"Dizzy," Aki mumbled, and she wrapped an arm around his shoulders to help guide him along the corridor towards their room.

It wasn't huge. A small wooden table sat on one side. Glass doors out onto a balcony made up one of the walls. Different cabinets made up another wall, one that Kanako was going through, and several mattresses and futons lay on the floor. Aki stood like a lost duck by the balcony as Kanako flitted around.

"So this is our room," she spoke, sliding open several cabinets. "Food first, then bed. You'll be alright." She tossed something blue at him from the cupboard, and he held it up to have a look. "You wash your own apron. Trousers," she tossed something red at him that he held up and wrinkled his nose at. She frowned as she went through the pile of clothes, pulling out a red shirt that was way too big for him. "You're so puny that most of these will be way too big for you. Maybe I'll have to ask Hanyu to have something made specially."

"Um, Kanako-san..."

"Yeah?"

"Are there two Hanyus here?"

She scoffed. "Two? Of him? I sure hope not. He's Plushenko's henchman, so watch out for him."

Aki lowered his eyes and bit his lip hard as tears welled up in them. He curled up on the floor, hiding his face in his arm as Kanako pulled a smaller red shirt out of the cupboard.

"Ah ha! Here it is! This one should fit you.... Aki? What's the matter? Are you okay?" She reached out a hand and patted his shoulder gently.

One of the figures in one of the futons turned over, opening one eye and grumbling at Kanako. "What's the matter? Why all the chatter?"

"New kid," Kanako explained with much more kindness in her voice, "says he feels faint. Poor thing."

* * *

Outside of their room, out of the door Yuzuru had left the main hall through, the young man himself was halfway up a stone, spiral staircase. At the top was a heavy wooden door that he knocked on. It opened by itself and, unafraid, he stepped in to see Plushenko standing by a wall of glass. He bowed his head to the other, and they exchanged no words as the leader turned himself into a huge bird and stepped out onto the balcony. He took off, flying off into the horizon as the sunrise sent golden rays of light spilling out across the world. Yuzuru turned off the light and closed the glass door, alone again, before he sighed and looked out over at the worker's quarters of the bath house and the train track that ran to what the workers called freedom.

* * *

As day dawned, the lights of the restaurants in the fake amusement park turned off, replaced by the natural light of day instead. In Aki's room, the whole floor was covered by workers squished together under futons with washing handing up from the rails of the walls and hangers. Aki was shaking under his futon, eyes wide open, as he lay half hidden under the futon with his brown curls spilling more across his pillow. Next to him, Kanako was sound asleep. Aki let out a little gasp when he heard the sound of the sliding wooden door being pushed open, and he tried to make himself as still as possible. Light footsteps carefully picked their way across the futons until they came to stop by Aki's and a gentle hand was placed on the cover, just above his cheek.

"Meet me at the bridge," Yuzuru's voice whispered, but it was clear as day, "Iand I'll show you your mother and father."

The hand was removed, but Aki didn't move until he heard the sound of the wooden door sliding firmly shut again. No one else in the room stirred; he must have been the only one awake who heard it. He gasped and pushed himself up, looking at the now shut door that he was positive Yuzuru had come in through. Glancing around, he picked up his new shirt and trousers, and dressed before he too slipped out of the sleeping quarters and all but ran for the bridge as he tied his dark blue apron. He stumbled down the stairs, tripping over his feet a little, and he crawled through the doorway that led him into Kikuchi-san's room; the old man himself was asleep and the boiler wasn't lit. Aki stepped towards the edge before he frowned; his yellow shoes were nowhere to be seen.

Almost as if they could hear his thoughts, the soot balls bounced out of the mice holes and several brought his yellow shoes and socks with them. Aki sat down on the edge of the wooden flooring and pulled on the socks first, then the shoes, before he thanked them quietly and all but raced out of the boiler room, waving at the soot balls as he climbed the stairs up to the bridge. He stopped when he saw a black figure that went almost transparent at the bottom wearing a white mask. He blinked a couple of times at it before he bowed his head and crossed the bridge, only looking back once he had crossed and it was gone. Footsteps behind him shook him out of his thoughts, and he gasped at the sight of Yuzuru.

"Follow me," he said, tone much lighter and more friendly than before. Aki turned and nodded, still half shocked by the sudden change again in Yuzuru's character,

They walked through a maze of hedges that were filled with flowers that parted as Yuzuru walked through them. In silence, he led Aki towards three white stone buildings with red roofs before he glanced back to check the other had made it out of the flowery hedges alright. With a nod to himself, he unlocked the doors to one and let Aki in.

There were hundreds of pigs in just that one building alone, and Yuzuru waved Aki along behind him to a pair that were asleep on their own. Standing on his tiptoes, Aki peered at the two sleeping pigs over the top of the gate and barrier.

"Dad? Mum? It's me!" Aki all but shouted as he shook the metal barrier lightly, "It's Aki! Mum! Dad!"

One of their ears moved lazily, swatting at a fly that came near them, and Yuzuru joined Aki at the barrier. He placed a gentle hand on the other's shoulder and he half smiled.

"Are they sick or hurt?"

"It's alright. They just ate too much and now they're sleeping it off. They don't even remember being human." Tears welled up in Aki's eyes but he refused to let them fall. Steeling his resolve, he held onto the barrier tighter and spoke up.

"Dad, Mum, I promise I will save both of you! Please don't get any fatter or they'll eat you!"

Yuzuru raised an eyebrow, half in amusement and half in concern, as the other ran from the pig shed back into the sunshine of outdoors. He curled up by one of the hedges and that's where Yuzuru found him, head buried in his arms. The taller sat down next to him and patted his shoulder to comfort him. He then reached inside his white swirl decorated shirt and pulled out Aki's shorts and t-shirt.

"Hide these." Aki raised his head and wiped the tears off his cheeks before he hugged the clothes tightly to his chest, half burying his nose in them. "I thought they were gone."

"You'll need them to get home." Yuzuru explained as he withdrew a small package from the pocket of his shirt too. Aki dug around in the pocket of his shorts and withdrew a small handwritten note.

"This was a farewell card," he explained, thumb tracing over Keiji's messy handwriting, "Sho-ma... Shoma. That's my name!" He looked over at Yuzuru for confirmation and reassurance.

Yuzuru nodded. "Plushenko rules others by stealing their names. You're Aki here, but keep your real name a secret."

Shoma nodded, holding the note carefully. "He almost got mine. I'd nearly turned into Aki.

Yuzuru bit his lip lightly before he spoke again. "If he steals your name, you'll never find your way home." He looked away, pain clouding his eyes. "I no longer remember mine."

"Your real name?"

"But it's strange." Yuzuru's face brightened and he smiled at the other. "I remembered yours, Shoma. So hopefully, between us, we won't forget it. Not if you have that note too." He opened up the package in his hands and smiled, offering Shoma a rice ball. "Go ahead. Eat. You must be hungry."

Shoma's face fell and he curled up in on himself again. "I don't want to."

"I put a spell on it to give you back your strength. Please eat it."

With both hands, Shoma, took hold of the triangle of rice and started to eat it slowly at first. He then started crying halfway through eating it before he finished the rest and burst into tears. Yuzuru put his arm around his shoulders and held him close, offering the open package.

"You've had a hard time, Shoma. Eat more?"

Half choking on his sobs, Shoma reached for the two remaining rice balls and picked them up. Yuzuru kept his arm around his shoulders as Shoma ate them through his sobs. When the younger was done eating and had calmed down, Yuzuru walked him back across the bridge and to the garden they had snuck through when Shoma had first arrived there.

"Can you find your way back alright?"

"Yes, Yuzuru, thank you. I'll work very hard, I promise."

"Good," Yuzuru said with a little smile before his face dimmed. "It's dangerous, remember. Don't come here without me, okay?"

"Okay," Shoma nodded before he turned, with his clothes still held tightly to his chest, and ran back towards the stairs down towards the boiler room, leaving Yuzuru alone in the garden to watch him go.

Shoma paused, halfway there, and looked behind him. With a small gasp, he spotted the white dragon flying in the air; it had black and gold swirls as well as purple and green colouring to it, almost just like Yuzuru. For as long as he dared, Shoma watched the dragon fly off into the distance and he sighed, squeezing his clothes tighter to his chest again. He took off running back, not noticing the black creature with the white mask following him across the bridge.

Down in the boiler room, Kikuchi awoke and sipped from his yellow teapot, still half asleep, when he paused his movements. There, curled up on the corner of the wooden section of the flooring, was Shoma. Dressed all in red with his yellow shoes on the floor surrounded by soot balls, he was asleep and clutching at his old clothes tightly, using them almost as a pillow. Kikuchi half smiled as he reached out and put a small purple piece of cloth over Shoma like a blanket to keep the younger safe and warm.

* * *

Dark clouds moved into the area, bringing with them intense rain that ruined the beautiful sunshine that Shoma had slipped out into. It all but trapped everyone in as Plushenko, as a bird, returned to the bath house. As evening drew on, the lights of the area ignited once again, as the rain came flooding down. Inside their working rooms, Shoma passed the futons up to Kanako to help her put them away.

"Where were you? I was really worried about you, you know."

"Sorry!" Shoma mumbled, helping her to finish their task.

Once they were done, Shoma shadowed Kanako as she went up the wooden stairs, following behind other workers as they all milled about. Some tried to dry their clothes from the rafters and wooden railings on the balcony while others were carrying different things up and down from the bath house to their working quarters and back again. Each person had a token on the wall with their name on, and Kanako picked hers off easily as she walked past. Being much smaller than her, Shoma tried to pick off his that said Aki but it got stuck, causing several others to walk into him from behind.

"Out of my way, stupid human child," one of them hissed, and Shoma half tripped over himself as he rushed to follow after Kanako.

Tasked with cleaning up the floor of one of the rooms, Shoma was given a cloth and no guidance whatsoever. He, Kanako, and a line of others all held them. The four others ran from one end to the other, cleaning up as they went with expert ease and precision. Poor Shoma tripped over himself as he tried to do the same, ending up flat on his face having done less than half the work in the same amount of time that it took them to do the whole thing. Once he'd finally got the hang of it enough to keep up, he settled down next to a bucket of water and wrung out his cloth, groaning lightly.

"That's the best you can do?" Kanako asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

A man with a notebook walked over to where the pair of them were wringing out the cloths, ready for more cleaning, and he half laughed. "Kanako. You and Aki get the big tub as of today."

"Huh?!" Her eyes narrowed at him. "But that's frog work!"

"The orders are from the top. Better give it your all or Plushenko won't be happy."

Shoma looked between the two of them as the man walked off before Kanako poked him lightly back into action. He sighed, carrying the bucket of dirty water over the to sliding glass doors that opened out over the river where he set it down and opened them. Pushing it to the edge, Shoma emptied out the water into the already rain soaked world beyond the doors when he looked up and paused, tilting his head. Standing there, watching him through the doorway, was the creature all in black with the white mask. Shoma blinked at it for a moment, staring curiously, before he spoke up.

"Aren't you getting wet?"

The creature just looked at him wordlessly and still, not moving an inch in the garden it was in. Shoma frowned before he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Hurry up Aki!"

"C-Coming!" He called back before he glanced at the creature outside. "I'll leave this open for you. If you want to come in out of the rain, you can."

And, with that, Shoma scooped up the empty bucket and carried it through the hallway to one of the other rooms where he disappeared out of sight. The shadowy creature of darkness moved like a ghost through the garden before it stepped through the open doorway, half a smile blossoming on its masked face as it disappeared in the hallway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shoma, carrying a wooden bucket in his arms with a couple of towels on it, followed behind Kanako. She had two wooden brushes with stiff bristles resting on her shoulder and a firm glare set on her face as they passed by the entrances to the smaller tubs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya everyone, this story is back! I'm sorry the chapter is so short but I was seriously losing motivation at the end :( It's not quite where I wanted to stop it but I really really wanted to publish a chapter today. Sorry. I hope you all enjoy it anyway xx

Shoma, carrying a wooden bucket in his arms with a couple of towels on it, followed behind Kanako. She had two wooden brushes with stiff bristles resting on her shoulder and a firm glare set on her face as they passed by the entrances to the smaller tubs.

"On the big tub, Kanako?"

"Lay off me," she hissed, rolling her eyes as Shoma bounced to try and keep up with her. He followed her to the end of the hallway and through the gap in the screens before he stopped, mouth falling open in a little gasp.

Each of the tubs was like a metallic bowl of sorts that was half sunken into the ground. This one was almost three times the size of all the others that Shoma had got a glimpse of, and it was covered with pieces of grass as well as caked in mud and dirt. Shoma grimaced and didn't even need to look at Kanako to know she was mirroring his expression.

"Asses. They haven't scrubbed this in ages!" She glanced down at Shoma before she nodded to herself and stepped into the room, ignoring the titters of laughter from the frogs in the next room over that had stopped their work to watch the pair. Shoma followed after her and slipped on the grass, tripping over and landing flat on his back with the bucket next to him and the brushes and towels that were in it scattered beside him. His face heated up as he heard the laughter echoing in the hallway, and he sat up, brushing the grass off his face with a fierce determination.

Despite not having known each other long, Shoma and Kanako settled into a rhythm of cleaning together. She brushed the grass into huge piles as Shoma swept it up into smaller ones that he could carry and dump at the side of the room. They soon cleared the floor around the tub before they turned to the real beast in the room: the tub itself. Shoma climbed in first and, after Kanako filled the bucket with water, he dipped the smaller brush into it and started scrubbing on the side. It barely even made a dent in the mud that was caked on it thick, and Kanako grimaced as she scrubbed at it too.

"This bath," she explained as they worked, "is reserved for our filthiest guests. It's caked with sludge."

"Kanako, Aki," one of the other workers poked their head around the screens into the gap that made a form of doorway between them, "the first customers are here."

Kanako swore colourfully under her breath before she shouted up to him. "Right away... This is clearly harassment," she commented to Shoma, throwing down her brush into the murky water that had pooled at her feet. "This tub needs a herbal soak." She put her hands down together and Shoma nodded, climbing up so that she could lift him out of the tub. "Get a tag from the foreman."

"A tag?" Shoma asked as she flipped him out of the tub. He rolled down the side, landing squarely on his backside. He picked himself up, brushing down his uniform, when Kanako poked her head over the side of the tub.

"A herbal soak tag."

"Right!" Shoma nodded, scrambling to his feet properly and out of the room. He then stopped and ran back in. "What's a foreman, Kanako-san?"

Upstairs, in his office, Plushenko inspected a green emerald underneath a glass. His ears pricked up a little and he glanced around, eyes narrowing into a little frown.

"Something is coming," he mumbled to himself. "I wonder what."

He scraped his jewels and money that were scattered across the table into a small chest that looked like a jewellery case. He picked it and a small pouch of other gems and money before he set them down in his desk drawer. He then ran to the window and opened it up, looking out into the downpour outside. The only thing staring back at him was the night itself and the stars as they twinkled in the night sky above him.

"Some useless scum," he hissed, "under the cover of rainfall..."

Down in the streets, the shadows moved about as the lanterns of the restaurants were slowly turned off. The rain was thick and heavy, and the shadows moved into their establishments before they shut the screen doors behind them and closed off their restaurant for the night. The street was still lit by the string of red lanterns that lined the edges of each restaurant and criss-crossed above it, and a huge, rippling, looming shadow slowly made its way along the street. When it came into the light, it appeared to be made of rippling layers of sludge that moved over and over each other. Two tendrils stuck out of the front, underneath the mouth, like hands, and little smaller tendrils came and went as the ripples hit lumps and bumps.

"I can't waste that on you," the foreman looked down his nose at Shoma in disgust as the child stood before him. Another young lady stepped up next to him and, with a fake smile, the foreman handed her a bath token. "Good morning! Feeling refreshed?" His smile vanished as soon as she was out of sight and he glared at Shoma again with that firm look of disgust back on his face. Someone shoved past him and Shoma stumbled back with a small glare on his face.

"For a customer," she said gently, and the foreman handed her a token.

"One deluxe sulphur soak!" He rolled his eyes at Shoma and sighed. "There's no use standing there, you brat. I'm not giving you one. Get back to work and scrub it with your hands. Your hands I say!"

"But," Shoma protested, "um... It has to be a herbal soak..."

"You sure are dense, aren't you? You--" He smiled to some customers, changing his tone, "A fragrant bath coming up. Relax and enjoy." he handed them the tokens before his face turned sour once again.

Shoma's eyes widened and his mouth fell into a small 'o'. There, just behind the foreman, appeared the shadowy figure with the white mask. It appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, and Shoma couldn't bring himself to look away. The foreman glared at him, confused, and the figure faded into nothing again. The foreman followed Shoma's eyes but saw nothing, adding to his confusion. He tutted at the child as he picked up the ringing phone, answering it with a fake, sugary sweet tone.

"Hello, foreman here. Yes, ma'am..." He gasped, eyes flying wide open as a herbal token appeared to rise up before him and landed straight in Shoma's hands. The child gasped at his good luck and, taking the token, he bowed his head quickly.

"Thank you very much!" He called before he turned tail and ran, leaving the foreman behind him.

"That's not.... Hey! Wait! Get back here!"

_"What's the trouble?" _the voice on the phone crackled through and the foreman tried his best to recover it.

"N-Nothing ma'am. So, how can I help you?"

"We have an intruder," Plushenko hissed from in his office.

_"Is it human?" _the skull sitting atop a pile of books on his desk that was also littered with money, jewellery, and jewels, asked, making a little rattle noise as the bones of the teeth hit against each other.

"You figure it out," Plushenko frowned, eyes narrowing, "Hanyu's out today."

"Wow, you got a really good one," Kanako smiled and patted Shoma lightly on the head before she opened up a side panel in the wall and reached for the blue rope and clasp that sat in it. She caught Shoma's curious gaze watching her, and she smiled as she explained. "This goes to Kikuchi." She pulled on the rope so she had more slack and she clipped the two metal parts of the clasp through the slot at the top. Once it was securely in, she let it hang before she tugged it down and it went shooting up, out of sight. She closed the panel in the wall and smiled to Shoma lightly. "The water will be right up since it's not too busy right now."

Another side panel made a noise further down into the room, and soon a long thin column came away from the wall. A rope trailed down from near the end, and Kanako climbed up the side of the tub to take hold of the end of the rope that had been tied into a neat circle to hold onto.

"Yank on this for hot water." She held it as Shoma took careful and tentative steps up the side of the tub to join her. She held out the loop to him so that he could take it. "Here. Give it a try."

Shoma pulled with a bit too much force and he slipped, falling down the side of the tub as hot water flooded down the pipe in a fast stream straight into the tub. The water was infused with the herbal soak, and it swirled around the tub as it filled it up. The herbal soak made it so that the dirt from the tub couldn't be seen.

"You're such a klutz," Kanako chided as she helped Shoma stand back up, "try to be more careful."

"Look at that colour," Shoma whispered to himself more than to her, but Kanako heard it too.

"That's the dried worm salts." she explained with a smile on her face. "With the water this murky, who's going to see the sludge?" She jumped down from the side of the tub and turned back to give Shoma one more instruction. "Yank it again when it's full. It'll stop. And try not to slip over again this time, okay? You can let go of the rope too. It won't vanish. I'll go and get us some breakfast."

Shoma nodded and he tentatively let go of the rope. It didn't vanish as he feared it might; it just swung about in front of him. A little smile spread out across his soft cheeks, and Shoma grinned as he looked into the water. It was a swirling pale green that kept the water completely murky and made it so opaque that no one had a chance to see how much sludge was really caking the sides of the tub. Kanako had really had a good idea with this one. Trusting that it wouldn't overflow, Shoma glanced around the room and gasped.

There, hidden in the corner, was the shadowy creature with the white mask once again. Shoma tilted his head at it, studying it curiously, when he leaned too far and slipped off the edge of the tub. Luckily he fell to the outside, but it was still a nasty shock when he smacked himself on the backside.

"Oww," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. The shadowy creature moved slowly up to him before it shrank down closer to his level, becoming less imposing. Shoma stood up and held up his hands quickly. "S-sorry, the bath's not quite ready yet."

The creature made no move to get into the bath. Instead, from its long shadow of a body, two wispy arms made of shadow extended. They were holding something out and Shoma gasped at the collection of ten herbal soak tokens. All of them were such high quality ones too, ones that Kanako would have been so impressed with.

"There are so many..." Shoma whispered, looking at the pile in disbelief. The creature nodded, holding them out to him to take. It would have been so easy for Shoma to just sweep the pile up into his arms and keep them, but he couldn't think of any real reason to.

"They're for me?" Shoma looked up from the pile to the white mask. What was it in front of? What was it even covering? Did this creature have any face at all? If not, what was the point of it wearing a mask? "Why?"

As he expected, the creature said nothing. It only held the tokens out further to him. Shoma backed away with small steps.

"Thank you, but I don't need this many," he said politely.

It tried again, holding them out to him and shaking them a little in front of his face. With more determination, Shoma shook his head again.

"No," he said, assertiveness coming through in his voice, "just one. I just need one."

Its smile vanished, drooping down. The creature then faded slowly, disappearing to nothing. With the arms no longer there to support them, the bath tokens dropped to the floor and clattered about loudly, shaking Shoma out of his mind and back to his senses. The bath water then started to overflow, and he let out a small shriek as he started trying to climb the slippery side of the tub.

Running down from his office, Plushenko's eyes darkened further still. The workers in the bath house parted for him, not daring to get in his way when he was looking at them like this. He looked hyper focused, and the only person to survive talking back to him when he was like this had been Yuzuru.

"Madam?" one of them asked tentatively, and he barely glanced at them.

"It's a Stink God?!"

"An Extra Large Stinker at that," the worker affirmed, earning a dark glare from Plushenko.

"It's headed straight for the bridge!"

Shrieks and shouts of "please turn back!" could be heard from those on the bridge and Plushenko rubbed at his forehead for what best to do next. The slimy creature just advanced further and further on.

"Something's fishy," Plushenko assessed. "Didn't seem like a Stink God to me. Well," he turned to one of the workers, "now that it's here, you'd better go and greet it hadn't you? Just try to get rid of it as fast as you can."

Workers nodded and scattered, running around to the other patrons in the other baths.

"Please retire to your rooms! We're so terribly sorry! Please forgive us for this, but you really must go to your rooms right now!"

Shoma poked his head out of the room at all the commotion, trying not to panic too much about the water overflowing the tub around him, and he froze when a worker pointed directly at him.

"Kanako! Aki! Plushenko is calling for you."

"Y-yes sir!" Shoma nodded frantically. He stopped the water of the tub before he slipped over himself, running down the hallway to get to Plushenko.

_Where are you Kanako? _

"Listen," the boss said firmly with a smirk that sent shivers down Shoma's spine, "this is your first job. You take this customer in the big tub."

"U-um..." Shoma swallowed, trying to back away from the other a little.

"One peep out of you and I'll turn you into coal," Plushenko hissed. "Got it?"

Shoma nodded frantically, curls bouncing around, and the other workers all gasped.

"It's arrived."

The workers nearest the door scattered, gagging as they ran, and the doors flew open. The stench was incredible, and Shoma's entire body tensed at how disgusting it was. His hair straightened out slightly, and Plushenko next to him was no better. With a trembling hand, Shoma moved to cover his nose but the other stopped him.

"Move your hands! Don't you dare insult the customer you insolent little brat!"

Shoma nodded, moving his hands down as he tried his best not to breathe. It was horrendous. It was a mix of sewage and _something_ rotting, with what could have easily been the stench of death itself mixed in. And it was everywhere, overpowering every single corner of the room with its choking odor. The creature finally stopped before them, flooding the room with a black ooze that ran out of it, and Plushenko had to fight to keep the smile on his face.

"Welcome," he choked out, "to our baths."

The creature extended a tendril to the pair of them and Shoma resisted the urge to shudder back and flinch away from it. There, glinting bright amongst the foul brown and black sludge, was a piece of gold. Plushenko elbowed him sharply back to his senses.

"Oh! Money! Aki, come on, be a dear and take it quickly."

"Y-yes sir," Shoma stuttered out. With shaking hands, he swallowed and tried not to breath as the sludge tendril holding it touched his skin. It took all his willpower to not screech now that the sludge was covering him too. There in his hands, underneath the brown and black goo that felt like nothing he'd ever held before as it ran through his fingers and over his palms, was a small lump of gold. It took Plushenko shouting at him to break him out of his disgust induced state.

"Show him to the baths!"

With stiff movements, Shoma turned away from the customer and nodded. He didn't dare look down at his hand out of fear that he might have thrown up. "P-please, follow me," he directed as he took off down the hallway towards the large tub that he and Kanako had just cleaned.

The black sludge that oozed out of the creature flooded the entire hallway, and the stench turned every single worker away. Kanako forced herself through the crowd with two bowls of rice before she shuddered and grimaced.

"What on earth is that?" she whispered before she gasped, seeing Shoma stiffly walk along the corridor followed by the gloopy slimy mess. "Aki?!" She shook her head in disbelief before she held her breath. The scent was overpowering every inch of that room too, and, as the black ooze gathered around her feet, the rice in the bowls that she was holding turned to black inedible dust. "Our food!"

Plushenko ran along the balcony, watching the whole scene unfold as he screeched out orders. "Open the windows! All of them!" He then stopped, positioning himself above the big tub so that he would have a front row seat of Shoma's very first customer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shoma led the slimy creature into the room with the big tub and waited next to the wooden bucket of bath tokens that he had been gifted by the creature earlier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, hope that everyone is doing well and taking care of themselves in these rough times. There is another chapter of Shoma'd Away for you and it's about Shoma's adventures with a very muddy guest. There's no Yuzuru here but I hope you all like this chapter xx

Shoma led the slimy creature into the room with the big tub and waited next to the wooden bucket of bath tokens that he had been gifted by the creature earlier. He snatched them up, and both he and Plushenko watched as the creature climbed up the side of the tub and submerged itself in the water that was there from the soak he and Kanako gave it. Muddy water overflowed it and Shoma struggled to keep hold of the bucket as he was thrown against the wall. The mud stained the bottom of his trousers and the water soon turned to solid mud due to all the dirt from the spirit. He slipped over and grimaced as all the tokens fell out into the mud. He pulled them back into the bucket, wiping them off on the top of his shirt as he did so, before he noticed the creature in the tub. Its filthy head emerged and it looked at the tendrils that extended like arms in disbelief and disappointment. It placed them on the edge of the tub and looked directly at Shoma before it let out a guttural sound along with a stench that made Shoma's skin crawl even more than it already was. The child, trying to pull himself out of the mud that was solidifying around his feet, looked down at the bucket of tokens in his arms.

"W-what?" he asked himself more than he asked the creature before he understood better and bowed his head quickly, terrified of offending the creature when Plushenko was watching him so closely. "Just a minute."

Shoma then fought through the dirt that was almost up to his waist, holding onto the wall with a slippery mud covered hand. His other hand held onto the bucket of tokens tightly, and he persevered onward towards the space in the wall that Kanako had shown him he could send the tokens to Kikuchi. From the balcony above the room that looked down into it. Plushenko cackled to himself as he watch Shoma struggle through the mud.

"Truly filthy, no?" he spoke to one of the other workers of the bathhouse who had a cloth tied around his nose and mouth in a feeble attempt to keep the intense odor of the customer out.

"This is no laughing matter."

"Oh, it is. Let's see what he does."

Back down below, Plushenko, the worker, and the creature all watched as Shoma struggled with the slot in the wall; his sticky and slimy hands failed to gain purchase on the surface and so he couldn't open it. Plushenko chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Oh, so he intends to re-fill the tub does he?"

"Oh no no no!" the other worker gasped as he too leaned further over the edge and glared at Shoma, "soiling the walls with those filthy hands of his!"

Shoma's hands slipped again and he all but gave up. He started banging on the wall with his fists, almost completely covered in the mud now as the bucket of tokens floated in the mud beside him. The door swung open, smacking Shoma firmly in the face, and he grinned to himself for the small victory before he remembered the scale of his task. Rooting around in the bucket, he picked out one of the clean tokens and leaned into the cupboard with it. He pulled on the clip to attach it but his hand was too slippery and he dropped the token. It clattered down in the space, falling so far that Shoma didn't hear it drop, and Shoma groaned to himself before he reached for another clean one out of the bucket and tried again. This time, he clipped it in firmly before he pulled down on the rope with both hands and sent it flying up to Kikuchi for the water to be sent to him. Plushenko's jaw dropped when he spotted the bucket full of tokens and he glared at the other worker.

"Did you give Aki new tags?!" he snapped, eyes burning in fury. The other shook beside him, quaking in fear.

"Never!" he defended before he turned his look of disgust back onto Shoma, "what a waste!"

In the wall along from where Shoma was, the section that the water flowed down came away. Abandoning the bucket of tokens, Shoma waded his way through the mud that had thoroughly coated up to his thighs towards the edge of the tub where the rope was hanging right in front of the creature. Shoma slipped on the mud that coated the entire tub, nearly falling several times, before he finally made it to the top and once again came face to face with the creature. He did his best to not breathe too much, particularly through his nose, as he reached up and pulled sharply on the rope for the water. He pulled on it a bit too sharply, however, and fell straight into the tub with a little scream before he had the mental fortitude to close his mouth, stopping the mud from entering it. The water flowed out and fell directly onto the creature's head, coating it with the herbal soak. It soon overflowed the tub and filled up the room, washing over the mud that had congealed across the floor. The worker next to Plushenko let out a wail of despair.

"Oh no!" he whined, earning a roll of Plushenko's eyes, "all that precious herbal formula! Oh Aki has wasted so much of it!"

Within the water, Shoma had got himself stuck headfirst in the side of the creature. His legs struggled about as his lungs fought for air until the creature lifted him out with one filthy hand. Shoma coughed and spluttered as he was lifted out of the herbal formula and raised until he was alongside the creature, half under the water but could still breathe. Shoma frowned before he reached in towards the creature and let out a soft gasp as his fingers brushed something that didn't feel like mud.

It felt solid. Solid, rubbery, and maybe metallic closer to the creature. Shoma tried to wrap a hand around it but, slippery from the herbal soak, he couldn't get a good grip on it. When he looked up at the creature he got a nod of understanding and realised what he needed to do.

"Aki!" Shoma's head snapped up when he heard the familiar and comforting voice of Kanako, "Aki, where are you?!"

"Kanako!" Shoma shouted back as she ran into the room holding a broom and with a cloth covering her nose and mouth too. She stopped, knee deep in the formular as she took in the sight before her.

"You okay?" She shouted over the sound of the running water, "I asked Kikuchi to give us all the water he's got! He's sending the best herbal soak ever!"

"Thank you!" Shoma shouted back over the water. He still had his arms in, fingertips brushing the thing that was sticking out of the creature. "He's got a thorn stuck in him!"

"A thorn?!" Kanako frowned as she responded and Shoma tried to tug on it when he slipped again, hands coming off it as he groaned.

"It's in so deep it won't come out!"

"Thorn?" Plushenko asked, raising an eyebrow mostly to himself, "he said it's a thorn did he? Rally the help downstairs!" he then declared to all the workers who had gathered on the bridge and balconies to watch Shoma. "And step on it!"

Plushenko jumped down from the balcony and hovered until he was just in front of Kanako and Shoma, keeping himself clear of the murky water below. He pressed his hands together in front of him, like he was praying.

"Aki and Kanako!" He called, earning both of their attention as Kanako was tugging on Shoma by the waist to try and help him remove the thorn. "That's no Stink God in there!" he produced a long piece of rope and threw one end of it to Shoma. "Grab this rope!"

"Yes sir!" Shoma shouted as Kanako grabbed hold of the bit behind him.

Shoma went into the water and tried to tie the rope around it. Three times he wound it around and three times it slipped off. Kanako rolled her eyes and helped him wind it around tightly before they tied it so that it was firmly around the thorn. Both of them then exchanged a look.

"Hold tight Aki!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Plushenko had brought the end of the rope out and the other workers were scrambling over each other as they all but tripped down the stairs. From where he was hovering above the ground, Plushenko was still barking his orders at them all.

"Hustle now and get everyone to help them out! All the workers! Now!"

"I've tied it!" Shoma shouted to Plushenko who nodded as Kanako took hold of the rope firmly too.

"Everyone and all of you! All together now! Heave!"

Plushenko kept shouting his directions to heave and the workers tugged again and again on the rope. Their combined force pulling on the thorn eased it out of the creature and soon, with a bubble and an explosion of mud across Shoma's face, out came the thorn.

Only it wasn't a thorn. As they kept pulling, Shoma stumbled back and gasped as he recognised some of just what was in the poor creature. The thing that he had mistaken for a thorn was a bicycle, and he had been touching the end of one of the handle bars. He gaped at it and Plushenko nodded to himself smugly.

"As I suspected. Pull! All of you!"

Shoma climbed back up onto the edge of the tub and pulled on the muddy metallic things that they were pulling out of the creature while the others pulled on the cleaner rope. After a little more tugging, Kanako fell over and the blockage gave way. The workers barely had time to move as there was an eruption of mud that more than coated Shoma and piles and piles of metallic garbage came flooding out of the creature. The workers scattered, trying to find the best rooms to hide in so that they too wouldn't get covered in the disgusting water themselves. Shoma managed to right himself and he tugged on the very last thing: a fishing line with a bath plug attached to the end of it. Once Shoma had pulled it out with a satisfying pop sound, the creature's volume soon dropped and the water overflowed the tub again. Shoma, nearly falling off the edge, was wrapped up in a swirl of the water that protected him and held him, almost like in a cocoon. Only Kanako was brave enough out of the rest of the workers to stand at the front, looking into the big tub room in confusion.

"Aki! You okay?"

Shoma was just staring forward in shock as little bubbles came out from around his mouth. Before him appeared a brown skull with thick white eyebrows. It smiled at him with its eyes shut before it spoke up, deep voice almost making Shoma's insides move.

"Well done."

As it faded, the water around Shoma slowly dropped until he was left standing on the edge of the tub, clean and dry. He opened up his hand and let out a little gasp when he saw the pale green sphere in his hands. He tilted his head at it in confusion when the steam in the room cleared and he looked up. Before him was nothing; it was just the empty bath that now had a huge pile of metallic trash next to it that they had all pulled out from inside of the creature. Plushenko was the first out of all of them for the spell to wear off and he looked down at the ground with his beady eyes. On the floor, lying on the planks of wood and sparkling under the lights of the room, were several hundred nuggets of gold. The other workers soon followed Plushenko's eye line and let out gasps and screams of realisation.

"Gold!"

"Gold!"

"It's gold!"

They shoved over each other, clamouring to try and scoop up some of the nuggets for themselves.

"Hands off!" one of the higher up workers shouted to no avail, "that's company property!"

"Be still!" Plushenko screeched and they all silenced themselves, "Our guest is still with us! Stop acting like animals and behave more like Aki!"

Shoma had only been standing at the edge of the tub, idly fiddling with the sphere in his hands for a moment before his attention was snapped up by the bubbling of the tub before him. Out of the herbal formula came clouds and clouds of white bubbles, and Plushenko hovered next to him.

"Aki, you're in our guest's way. Get out and open the door. Open the main gates! He's leaving!"

Shoma nodded, tucking his gift into his apron before he scrambled off the side of the tub and made a break for the door. Once he was clear of it, out of the herbal soak in the bath, a huge white otter with the same face that Shoma had seen before erupted and let out a yelp of gratitude. It circled a couple of times before it flew out of the door, leaving behind a breeze and the sound of the flowing river grew fainter as it flew further away. Shoma watched it with half a smile as it disappeared into the rain, becoming only a speck, and he was then broken out of his daydream when the rest of the workers and patrons started to cheer and scream for him loudly. He looked around at them in confusion and Plushenko hovered next to him and smacked him on the back.

"Aki! You did it! You made us a bundle!" Shoma nearly shrieked at the unexpected praise from the other and his brain struggled to catch up with him. "That River God's famous." He turned to the other and clicked his tongue at them before he spoke up firmly. "You can and should all learn from Aki! Sake is on the house tonight!"

The entire hall erupted in cheers and laughter, and Shoma found himself blushing, even when Plushenko added "Now! Time to hand over all that gold you picked up!" Shoma glanced down at the sphere in his apron and, deciding that it wasn't gold, he kept it a secret and to himself.

All night long in the bathhouse there were extra celebrations while they all cheered about the profits. Shoma even got a mouthful of sake that Kanako slipped him but he decided that he detested it and had to spit it out, much to her amusement. After being effectively ignored by everyone, Shoma slipped off up to the room he was staying in and changed his clothes so that he was sitting much more comfortably. It had stopped raining not so long ago and so he sat out on their balcony, looking out over at where there used to be more land and now there was only a vast expanse of water as he fiddled with the gift from the River God in his fingertips. It felt firm but a little spongy.

Kanako sat down next to him and held out a plate with three triangular onigiri to him. "Want some?" She asked, tone light as she shook him out of his daydream and passed him one of them through the slats of the edge of the balcony, "I swiped them."

"Thank you."

"Man oh man," Kanako lay back and smiled at Shoma as she watched him tentatively eat before she picked up one herself and bit into it.

"I didn't see Yuzuru celebrating," Shoma mumbled, more to himself than her but she heard it nonetheless . She rolled her eyes at him and sighed.

"Not Yuzuru again. He just disappears sometimes. They say that Plushenko makes him do bad stuff."

"Really?" Shoma whispered, looking at her with bright round eyes that were full of questions. Kanako nodded and took another bite of her onigiri.

"Lights out Kanako!" Someone called from behind her and she nodded, still lying out on the balcony. The lights behind them dimmed, leaving Shoma and her to look out over the huge expanse of water that was lit only by the moonlight.

It was endless. The water expanded as far as the eye could see, taking over the world like the ocean swallowing up everything in sight. The clouds around the full moon moved to allow the light from it to shine on the water in a rippled reflection. In the water, diligently following the tracks, the light of the train was one of the only things to break the darkness in the area. Shoma followed it with his eyes as curiosity danced in the deep brown of them. The train carried on into the distance where lights were just about visible on the horizon.

"There's a town. This all looks just like the ocean."

"What did you expect after all that rain?" Shoma turned to look at Kanako and she tucked into the third of the onigiri, leaning on her side with her head on one arm. "Some day, I swear I'll get to that town. I'm going to get out of here."

Shoma tore his eyes away from her and looked out at the water again. In one hand he held his partially eaten onigiri and, in the other, he held the small gift from the river spirit. He tightened his hand around it before he got a small idea and raised it to his mouth, taking a little bite of it. He grimaced and spat it out immediately, sending ripples into the water below that spread out far and wide throughout the water. He quickly ate a bite of the onigiri to try and get the vile taste out of his mouth as quickly as he could.

"What's wrong?" Kanako asked, raising herself up on her arm a little to get a better look at Shoma. He just shook his head quickly and she shrugged, finishing the second onigiri before she went back in and settled down under her futon.

Shoma took longer. He finished eating his onigiri slowly as his eyes traced the constellations in the sky, jumping from star to star until he always ended up drawn to that town in the distance. When he finished his onigiri, he stayed sitting out there for a little longer, just looking out at the water, before he pushed himself to his feet and crawled into his futon next to Kanako's.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late at night, when the rest of the workers were up asleep in their rooms, retiring for the night, a frog worker slipped along the corridors of the bath house to get down to the big tub that Shoma had helped the river spirit in. He switched on the light before he started to scout the ground, digging between the planks of wood for pieces of gold that hadn't been claimed by Plushenko.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I know, third update of the day whatttt but I just kind of felt inspired today. This chapter is so long and I'm really sorry but I just couldn't find a good place to stop. I should point out: When I first plotted this fic, I didn't realise Yagudin was quite as vindictive as he actually is. Because I'm lazy, characters will be left as they are but please not I think he's not the nicest. I hope you all like this story and I hope you're all staying safe xxx

Late at night, when the rest of the workers were up asleep in their rooms, retiring for the night, a frog worker slipped along the corridors of the bath house to get down to the big tub that Shoma had helped the river spirit in. He switched on the light before he started to scout the ground, digging between the planks of wood for pieces of gold that hadn't been claimed by Plushenko. He tossed aside the little pieces of grit out away from him, and he was so engrossed in his task that he was unaware of the shadowy spirit with a white mask that had emerged before him in from the big tub. A nugget of gold dropped from above, clattering on the wooden ground as it bounced around before the frog pounced on it to claim it.

"Gold!" he exclaimed before he looked up and gasped at where it had come from. Towering above him was the spirit who was sitting in the tub. Still holding the gold close to him, the frog glared at the creature.

"Who are you? You're no customer! You're not allowed in there!"

The frog trailed off when he saw the spirit extend their hand. From the palm, two little spots of yellow appeared that grew bigger and bigger until they dropped off like little nuggets. They clattered about on the ground and the frog swiped up both of them before they could get lost or anyone else could steal them, even though he was the only one there or awake at that time.

"Hey!" He gasped as he studied the newest nuggets. "It's gold! Gold! It's for me?"

The creature created a handful and held it out to the frog, throwing it a little in the air to show it off and tempt the frog further.

"You can make gold?" The frog gasped.

Tempted by the gold, the frog scrambled up the side of the tub and started to take as many nuggets as it could from the creature's hand. It morphed, dropping the gold into the tub and holding the frog in a vice-like grip before the creature ate the frog whole.

Down the corridor, one of the other workers saw the lights illuminating the big tub and narrowed his eyes as he approached. It was way past the curfew and lights out time, and he rolled up his sleeves, ready to reprimand them.

"Who goes there?" He called out, voice echoing a little around the empty rooms of the bathhouse. "It's way past bedtime."

Nuggets of gold rained down on him from above and he let out a small gasp, looking up. Perched on one of the dividers of the bathhouse was a huge shadowy creature with limbs like that of a frog and a white mask on. In one outstretched hand, it offered a small pile of gold nuggets to the man.

"Hey boss," the voice of one of the frogs spoke to him and the man had to do a double take, "I'm hungry. Starving! There," he dropped the gold on the man who scrambled to pick it up, "I'll pay you now. I'm a customer! I want a bath!"

* * *

Walls of flowers that came up to well more than double Shoma's height lined the pathway he took as he slipped from his sleeping quarters down to the pig pen. He pulled himself up on the edge of the railing and held up his hand, holding the gift from the river spirit up high.

"Mum! Dad! The river spirit gave me a gift of this cake! I'm sure if you eat it, you'll turn back into people!"

The pigs all looked up at Shoma and the child backed away, confusion covering his childish features. He looked at each pig, utterly confused, and he backed away from the pen and the mouths of the other pigs.

"Dad? Mum? Where are you?!"

He held the gift well above his head but was soon swarmed with pigs, all trying to reach for the cake that the river spirit had given him. Shoma let out a shriek when he gasped, eyes flying open as he panted and tried to catch his breath. The weight of the futon was as heavy on him as the pillow was soft under his head. He breathed hard, trying to calm himself down as he sat up and took in his surroundings. He was still in his room, next to Kanako's things, squished between several other workers' things in the bathhouse, and he let his head flop back down onto the pillow.

"Bad dream," he whispered to himself, reaching under his pillow. His fingers closed around the gift from the river spirit and he smiled to himself before he really registered what he'd seen. He sat up, looking around the room in confusion when he saw that all the beds were empty.

"Kanako?" he whispered. The beds were abandoned as far as Shoma could see: into the next room and beyond. There wasn't another soul other than him. "Where is everybody?"

After getting dressed, Shoma slid open the sliding door to their room and stepped out onto the balcony area that he and Kanako had chatted on the night before. He let out a gasp and stepped up onto the railing so he could see over it better. Spread out before him was the biggest expanse of water Shoma had ever seen.

"It really did turn into an ocean," he whispered to the wind. Glancing to one side, he smiled to himself when he saw that the pig pens were not submerged. "And at least I can still see where my parents are from here." He coughed and frowned, looking up. His face fell into horror when he saw the smoke billowing out of the chimney. "Kikuchi's already lit the fires?! Did I really sleep that long?"

Back inside, out of the sleeping quarters, was chaos. Workers were running up and down the stairs with their arms full of dishes as well as other things to prepare a bath for the customer. The kitchens were insane; everything that could be cooked was being thrown into the pans together while others shouted orders about the customer waiting and being hungry. Leftovers were brought out and heated up as well, trying to placate them. Shoma watched from the top of the stairway to the sleeping quarters with his mouth dropped in pure shock.

"Aki!"

"Kanako," Shoma turned, relieved to see a familiar face. She all but bounced up the stairs and took his hand with a bright smile.

"I was just going to wake you up. Look!" With her free hand she held up a nugget of gold to him. "Real gold! He gave it to me! This guest is a real high roller Aki."

The guest, in question, was the shadowy spirit. He demolished every dish given to him and sat, soaking in the water of some of the best herbal soak that the bathhouse had to offer. Different chefs and servers pushed their food to him first in the hopes of getting the most gold from him. He threw out handfuls, laughing and demanding more food even as he demolished dish after dish.

"That guest," Shoma chewed his lip but Kanako interrupted him with a light laugh.

"Come on Aki, Plushenko's asleep! Now's your chance." She bounced down the stairs but Shoma didn't follow; he instead chewed his lip and frowned as he thought.

"I'm going to see Kikuchi!"

"I wouldn't go right now," Kanako warned, "He's in a foul mood because they woke him up."

Kanako was soon pulled into a group of other ladies who worked at the bathhouse and they ran down, laughing together about how much gold the customer was going to give them. Shoma just watched them all go before he went back to his room and stood out on the balcony, looking over the rainwater that had collected to form the ocean. He couldn't help but look over to the barns where he knew his parents were and, although his heart longed to go and see them, he didn't dare. Not after Yuzuru had said that he wasn't to go without his permission.

"When will you come back Yuzuru?" Shoma mumbled, resting his head on his hands on the edge of the balcony railing, "What if I don't recognise my parents by then? I hope Dad hasn't gotten too fat."

He sighed and closed his eyes, letting the light breeze ruffle his curls and only the soft sounds of the water coming against the sides of the bathhouse disturb the peace. Fish swam about peacefully under the surface and over the train tracks, creating little ripples underneath. A white and green dragon, surrounded by white pellets, flew past and made Shoma curious enough to open up one eye.

Shoma gasped at the sight. The white dragon had sea green accents on its back and tail, and it coiled and twisted in an attempt to chase away the white pellets that were attack it. Shoma's mouth fell open when he saw the harsh cuts and red blood that stood out against the white of the dragon's body. It rose high into the air before it was slashed more viciously by the white pellets and it fell into the water, diving under where they couldn't get to it. It swam around under the surface and the pellets chased it from above, waiting for when it ran out of air and would be forced to resurface.

"The same dragon as before," Shoma whispered, eyes wide with both panic and awe, "it's coming over here?! Are they birds attacking it? No, can't be, not birds."

The dragon reached the wall and erupted out of the water, flying up the side of the building and nearly taking Shoma's nose off with it. The pellets followed behind and Shoma jumped back into the room, letting out a small shriek. The pellets were shaped almost like crosses and they relentlessly chased after the dragon, attacking it with their razor-like edges. The dragon spiralled and coiled in the air with a certain elegance and grace, trying to shake them off its tail.

"Fight back Yuzuru!" Shoma shouted, finally recognising the dragon, "This way!"

His face fell when the saw the dragon form of Yuzuru falling victim to the attacks of the pellets and he called out to him again. Hearing his voice, the dragon flew straight for the door and Shoma barely had time to jump out of the way as it was broken, leaving the dragon to land on the mess of futons and pillows. The pellets started to come at him and Shoma grimaced as he tried to force the door shut, groaning at the weight of it. They came in thick and fast, sticking to him and the door as he tugged them closer together. With the pellets sticking to his skin, Shoma had to stop tugging on the doors and he ripped them off him, letting out little shrieks as they got caught in his hair. The ones that weren't stuck to the door fell on the floor, shredded and beaten, and Shoma studied one of them with his childlike curiosity emerging.

"It's just paper?"

The pieces all picked themselves up and flew off, over the ocean and back out into the distance. Shoma watched them go, deep brown eyes wide, before he turned and froze.

Yuzuru, still in his dragon form, picked himself up from the pile of futons he was in. His blood was smeared on the wall behind him that he had crashed into and his sleek white form was covered in vicious slashes. Blood dripped from his mouth and he snarled at Shoma.

"Yuzuru, that is you, right?"

The dragon stared him down, near black eyes fixed on Shoma's warmer brown ones. The blood dripped faster from his mouth as the dragon moved a little in the room.

"Are you hurt? Those paper birds are gone. You're safe now."

The dragon snarled and dived for the opening in the doors, forcing Shoma to jump back out of the way. A trail of blood was left behind by the dragon, splattering on the walls, the floor, and the edge of the balcony. Shoma ran out, ignoring the red that was staining his hands, and he leaned as far as he could over the edge of the balcony to watch where Yuzuru was going. He flew up and, disorientated, crashed into the side of the bathhouse before he corrected himself and took off, climbing higher and higher in the sky. Shoma's mouth fell open and his heart sunk at the realisation.

"He's going to Plushenko." He gasped at the blood on his fingertips as well as that which covered the walls and the floor around him. "No! Oh no no no! Plushenko won't help him! He'll die!"

Shoma pushed himself away from the edge of the balcony and ran through the room, bare feet pounding the wooden floor. The one paper bird that hadn't returned picked itself up off the ground and started to follow Shoma as he ducked around the corners. It attached itself to his back as he started to scramble up the stairs.

Back in the bathhouses, the workers were all lining the edges of the room, holding a wooden box with no lid. One of the men held two fans as he danced around in the centre.

"That man himself is now approaching! Welcome! Time to beg for tips! Start begging!"

Emerging up the stairs behind the man was the hulking figure of the shadowy spirit, enlarged by the sheer amounts of food that it had consumed. It was supported by frog like legs, and each step made the ground quake as it walked through along the corridor. Workers left and right held up their boxes, begging for tips of gold to be given to them while Plushenko was still absent. Shoma emerged from one of the doors and grimaced at the sight of the crowd before him as he started to push his way through. The other workers glared at him and some uttered cold remarks but Shoma couldn't have cared less. The only thing on his mind was Yuzuru. He slid around the corner and ran for the lift, crashing straight into one of the other workers there. They grabbed his hand, stopping him from reaching for the lever to take him up to Plushenko's office.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"I'm going upstairs," Shoma gasped out as he tried to catch his breath again.

"No you don't!" The worker said before they took note of the blood covering Shoma's palm. "What is this? It's blood?"

The worker all but threw Shoma away from him and, after having had a brief moment to catch his breath, Shoma turned tail and ran from the lift. He didn't have much choice if he wanted to get to Yuzuru and help him. The crowd of other workers all glared at him as he tried to break through their line, only to be shoved back. He turned, mind racing, only to screech to a halt before the shadowy guest.

"Move! Move! Let our guest through."

Shoma, upon recognising the mask and the shadowy nature of the creature, gave it a gentle smile and bowed his head. "Thank you for helping me before."

"Don't just stand there," the man snapped but he was thrown out of the way by the spirit.

Shoma's mouth fell open as the creature sat down and held out its hands, offering him a huge pile of gold that overflowed them. The creature urged him to take it but he shook his head rapidly. The creature looked taken aback as the gold spilt onto the floor, clattering and breaking the silence.

"I don't want any. Don't need any," Shoma reasoned. The creature offered the gold out again and Shoma shook his head. "I'm busy, please excuse me."

With that, he ran past the creature just as it dropped all the gold it had been holding. The crowd surged forward, forcing Shoma to fight through them to get to the doorway and slip out, gasping.

"Quiet, quiet! Back away!" the man who had been thrown across the room shoved the others away from the guest and bowed his head, simpering to them to try and get on their good side. "Please forgive his manners. After all, the boy is only human and he's new here." he tailed off and turned white as a sheet as the creature turned its masked face onto him.

"Wipe that smile off your face. I saw that look."

"Why, I would never--"

The creature grabbed both the man and the lady who had slipped over to swipe one of the last pieces of gold and ate both of them. The rest of the crowd screamed and started to run from it. Its hulking mass only got larger and it turned its attention onto the other people.

* * *

Down the hallway, Shoma had found a window. He slipped out of it and landed on a rooftop, nearly slipping off. He pulled himself up before he groaned. Along the wall from him was a ladder, but there was only a pipe there and nothing more stable for him to try and walk on. Swallowing down his fear and inspired by the sight of Yuzuru's blood on his hands, Shoma jumped onto the pipe and ran. The rivets holding it to the wall snapped and it started to swing out but Shoma just grabbed the ladder before it collapsed, taking several deep breaths when he realised just what he'd done. Shaking his head at himself in disbelief, he then started to climb up the ladder that went up the side of the bathhouse. He had to stop halfway and panted for breath when he caught sight of Plushenko flying towards the bathhouse in bird form. The sight alone gave him a renewed sense of motivation and he spurred on his climb as Plushenko landed on his balcony.

Shoma had climbed up the ladder onto one of the lower ones and was hidden in a window archway. Summoning all of his strength, he tried to push it open but it wouldn't budge. The slip of paper went through the gap and undid the latch causing Shoma to tumble backwards into a bathroom. He let out a small gasp and turned, facing a hall of mirrors before he darted left and ran into another room.

The whole thing was huge and covered in soft green pillows from floor to ceiling. Soft toys and masses of pillows, about the same size as Shoma, were scattered across the floor and, in his panic, Shoma dived into largest pile of pillows to hide.

"We're in a fine mess now!" Plushenko shouted from the other side of the curtains. "Actually, he's a No Face. That's right! A No Face! Your greed attracted quite a guest, all right. Don't do anything stupid until I get down there." He slammed down the phone and sighed, shaking his head at Yuzuru's form. "Look, the carpet's a mess. Get Yuzuru out of here. He's no use to me now."

The words alone made Shoma's skin crawl and he buried himself tighter under the pillows, hiding himself away. Plushenko stepped through the curtains and started pulling away the pillows that made up Shoma's hiding place. He withdrew one, exposing the side of a baby's face, and she let out a grizzle at being awoken.

"Awww, sleeping outside of your crib again Alina?" She started to cry and he shushed her to no avail. "Oh, I'm sorry. You were sleeping like such a good baby. I still have work to do." Placing a kiss on her cheek, Plushenko covered her back up with pillows before he turned and left the room, changing the light from day to night before he did.

Shoma, when the noises of Plushenko died down, poked his head out from under the pillows. He started to move away when a hand grabbed him and pulled him back. He came face to face with a baby whose eyes were huge and dark as they looked over him with curiosity.

"Let go!" Shoma called but the baby just stared at him. "Thank you for helping me, but I'm in a hurry! Please let me go."

"You came here to make me sick. Bad germs from the outside. Bad!"

"I'm a human," Shoma corrected, keeping his tone light and gentle, "maybe you've never seen one before?"

"You'll get sick out there. Stay here and play with me."

"Are you sick?"

"I'm in here cause I'll get sick outside."

"What? No! It's staying in here that'll make you sick! You see, somebody I really care about got hurt very badly, so I've got to go right now. Please let go of my arm!"

"If you go, I'll start crying. If I cry, my papa will come and kill you. I'll break your little arm."

"Ouch! No, please, I'll come and play with you later."

"No! I want to play now!"

Shoma grimaced before he held u his hand, still stained with Yuzuru's blood. "That's blood! Get it! It's blood!"

His plan backfired and Alina screamed, throwing about pillows after she let go of Shoma's arm. He was thrown across the room but managed to emerge and run into Plushenko's office. There, lying by the fireplace on the bloodstained carpet, was Yuzuru who was still in his dragon form. The three heads were sitting beside him and Shoma shooed them away as he knelt down beside him.

"Stop! Go away! Scat, scat! Yuzuru! Yuzuru are you alright? Hang on!" He lightly shook the dragon's head but he didn't blink when the claws of a bird ran through his hair, scaring him.

Shoma looked up and shrieked as the small crow attacked at his hair, giving the three heads a chance to try and push Yuzuru into the opening next to him left by Plushenko. Shoma grabbed hold of Yuzuru and buried his face in the other's back, trying to ignore the talons scratching at his head. From the bedroom, Alina pulled against the curtains she was tangled up in and ripped them off their railings as she stepped out into the study.

"I'm not afraid of blood. I'll cry if you don't play."

"Please, I'm begging you to be a good young lady and wait," Shoma pleaded, holding Yuzuru close.

"If you don't play with me, I'll cry." Tears started to stream down her face.

"What a racket." Shoma let out a shriek as the paper on his back perked up and spoke. "Simmer down!"

It floated up until it was in front of Alina's face. "You're a little crybaby, aren't you?"

It then landed on the ground and, from it, sprung up an illusion of a man similar looking to Plushenko.

"Guess I'm still a little transparent."

"Papa?" Alina asked with uncertainty tinging her voice.

"Oh dear, can't you even tell me from your own father?" the illusion laughed. With a wave of its hand, Alina transformed into a little mouse. "There, that gives you a little more freedom." He then turned to the others and smirked. "What shall we turn you into?"

The crow he shrunk, turning it into a tiny little bird, and he turned the three heads into an identical version of Alina. Shoma gaped at them as the other turned to him and winked.

"This is our little secret. You tell anyone and I'll rip your mouth out."

"Who are you?"

"Plushenko's twin brother. Yagudin. Thanks to you, I've had a good look at this place, enjoyed myself. Now hand over the dragon."

Shoma's grip on Yuzuru tightened and he shook his head firmly, curls bouncing everywhere.

"What do you want with Yuzuru? He's badly hurt!"

"That dragon's a thief, my brother's lackey. Stole a precious seal from my house."

"Yuzuru would never! He's so kind!"

"All dragons are kind. Kind and stupid. Eager to learn my brother's magical ways. This boy here will do anything that greedy man wants. Move away. It's too late for him anyway. The seal was protected by a charm; any who try to steal it must die."

"No, you can't!" Shoma protested as there was a loud thud as the new baby in the room tried to crush Alina and the bird.

"What's gotten into them?" Yagudin shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Oi! Cut it out! Go back to your room!"

Shoma allowed the real Alina and the bird to cling onto him as he held onto Yuzuru. The dragon's eyes opened and he snarled, allowing more blood to drip from his mouth. With a swipe of his tail, he destroyed the slip of paper and ripped the illusion of Yagudin in two. The force of the movement exhausted him and he fell backwards, pulling Shoma down the gap in Plushenko's floor with him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Down and down and down they tumbled, with Shoma holding Alina carefully in his hand, before Yuzuru gained enough strength to pick his way through the tower they were falling through. They crashed through a ceiling fan and Shoma fell straight onto Kikuchi as Yuzuru crashed against the opposite wall, dripping blood. The soot balls scattered from fright, dropping their rocks, and Kikuchi struggled around, trying to get the squirming Shoma and pieces of broken fan off him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, welcome back to this story! Little warning: There is a lotttttt of icky descriptions in this chapter so just be aware. There is also finallyyyyyy a little mention of the relationship in this story. I hope you all like it and I hope you're staying safe xxx

Down and down and down they tumbled, with Shoma holding Alina carefully in his hand, before Yuzuru gained enough strength to pick his way through the tower they were falling through. They crashed through a ceiling fan and Shoma fell straight onto Kikuchi as Yuzuru crashed against the opposite wall, dripping blood. The soot balls scattered from fright, dropping their rocks, and Kikuchi struggled around, trying to get the squirming Shoma and pieces of broken fan off him.

"What on earth is this?" Shoma scrambled off him and tripped over himself to get to Yuzuru. "Hey! Wait!"

Scratches from Yuzuru's claws and blood coated the drawers that lined the wall of the room. Broken pieces of wood littered the floor, falling into the puddle of tea that had spilt from Kikuchi's upset yellow pot. Shoma danced past them to get to the snarling and thrashing dragon.

"Yuzuru! Does it hurt?" He held the end of the other's jaw and stroked over his nose, trying to study the wounds. Yuzuru snapped, growling at him and spraying little flecks of blood over the front of Shoma's shirt, his forearms, and his cheeks.

"This is serious!" Kikuchi climbed away from his station and moved down to study Yuzuru's situation.

The dragon collapsed and Shoma knelt beside him, panic rising up. "Yuzuru! Hold on! Kikuchi-san! He's going to die!"

"There's something inside him that's killing him," he explained, studying Yuzuru further.

"Inside him?"

Kikuchi nodded, face solemn. "It's a good spell. Nothing I can do."

Shoma's eyes lit up and he reached into the pouch of his shirt, pulling out the cake that the River Spirit had given to him.

"Yuzuru, the River God gave me this," he waved it in front of the motionless dragon's bloodied face, "Eat it! Maybe it'll help!"

With the soot balls and Kikuchi watching, as Shoma attempted to prise open Yuzuru's jaws.

"Yuzuru! Please, open your mouth! Please Yuzuru, Yuzu, please eat it!" He took a bite himself, trying to keep himself from flinching at the taste. "See? It's safe! Please!"

"Is it a herbal cake?" Kikuchi asked, eyes fixed on the green coloured sponge that the spirit had gifted Shoma with.

"Open!" Shoma, with much tugging and pulling, managed to prise Yuzuru's jaws open the tiniest bit. "That's it! That's good!" When they were open enough, Shoma put his arm into Yuzuru's throat, as far as it could go, before he let go of the gift from the River Spirit and pulled it out, holding Yuzuru's mouth shut as he struggled. "Swallow!"

Yuzuru tried to growl, tried to spit it out, but Shoma held his jaws closed with his whole body weight behind it. His thrashing tail smeared the blood on the wall and his legs left scratches that scared away Kikuchi and the soot balls, but Shoma held him firm. He was thrown around a little by Yuzuru and he couldn't keep his grip tight enough to stop Yuzuru hacking something up. A black sludgelike blob was what Yuzuru coughed up and it bounced across the floor, settling near Kikuchi.

"He spit it out! That's it!"

Shoma let go of Yuzuru and raced over to the thing. The sludge all but disappeared until left on the floor was a golden seal with a creature that looked like a little black slug sitting on it. The creature panicked at being seen by Shoma and made a dive for it, trying to get away.

"The seal!" Shoma scooped it up.

"It got away!" Kikuchi pointed to the slug. "There! Over there!"

It danced around Shoma's feet as he tried to chase it, running rings around him across the floor. The soot balls stopped it from disappearing under the wall, and shoved it in front of Shoma. The child danced around, trying to stamp on it as he jumped from foot to foot, when he crushed it. The sludge oozed up between his toes and felt heavy and sticky on his bare skin. His hair raised and he had to suppress a shudder that ran up his spine.

"Gross, gross, Aki!" Kikuchi gestured for him to come over, "totally gross!"

Shoma made a little oval with his thumbs and fingertips and Kikuchi swiped his hand through it.

"Clean!"

Shoma held the seal out to him with wide eyes filled with concern. "Yuzuru took this from Plushenko's brother, Kikuchi-san!"

"From Yagudin?" He gasped. "A wizard's seal. Precious loot, I'd say."

Shoma wasn't really listening. Instead, he ran back over to where Yuzuru had stopped thrashing about and was lying on the floor. His dragon form shimmered and gave way to his human form, who was lying face down on the ground. His clothes were covered in blood and his hair stuck to his face. Shoma scrambled to sit next to him, and he let out a little sigh of relief.

"I knew that was Yuzuru." He turned him over, face falling and heart dropping at Yuzuru's unconscious face. "Yuzuru!" His head lolled back and Shoma raised a hand over his nose and mouth, turning paler by the second. "Kikuchi-san, he's not breathing!"

"He is," Kikuchi reassured him but his face was still grim, "but he's still gravely ill from the spell."

Shoma half held him up and Kikuchi poured a broth into his mouth. Most of it ended up running down Yuzuru's chin, soaking into his clothes. Shoma then laid him back, setting him down on the blankets Kikuchi had found to create a makeshift pillow.

"That should calm him some," the older man said with gentle eyes as he looked at Yuzuru's still form. He pulled a futon up over him, taking care to cover him up. "Yuzuru turned up one day here, just like you. Said he wanted to learn magic. I didn't approve becoming a sorcerer's apprentice. I warned him, but he wouldn't listen. Said he had nowhere left to go. Signed up to be Plushenko's apprentice. As time went by, he turned increasingly pale, and his eyes took on this sharp gleam."

"Kikuchi-san," Shoma held up the golden seal, "I'm going to give this back to Plushenko's sister. Give it back, apologise, and ask him to help Yuzuru. Please, Kikuchi-san, please, tell me where he lives."

"Go to Yagudin's?" The other scratched his head as he studied Shoma. "He's one scary sorcerer."

"Please! Yuzuru helped me. Now I want to help him."

The fierce and determined look in Shoma's eyes made Kikuchi stop. The older man studied his face, seeing all the evident fear that Shoma was shoving aside to replace with determination.

"You can get there all right, but getting back... Wait here."

Shoma watched as Kikuchi started to dig through his chest of drawers that was tucked against one of the walls, out of the way of the rest of the room.

"Let's see now. It's around here, no, around here I think..." He threw out handfuls of books and other papers as he rooted around in them.

"Everyone," Shoma turned to the soot balls, "I need my shoes and my clothes please."

The soot balls scattered and disappeared into the holes in the wall to get Shoma's things as he started to untie his apron. The sliding door towards the main part of the bathhouse opened up and Kanako came in, letting out a little sigh of relief when she spotted Shoma.

"Aki! I hunted everywhere for you! Wait... That's Yuzuru..." She took in the mess both of blood on the wall and from Kikuchi. "What happened here... Who are those guys?" She gestured to the hamster that Alina had been turned into and the tiny bird that were settled on Shoma's shoulder.

"My new friends," he said with a gentle smile as he patted Alina on her furry head. Behind him, the soot balls brought his shoes and neatly folded shirt and shorts out from where they had taken care of them in the wall.

"Plushenko is tearing the place apart looking for you! The big tipper turned out to be a horrible monster, No Face! Plushenko says that you led him here!"

Shoma thought for a moment, humming to himself.

_Shoma emptied out the water into the already rain soaked world beyond the doors when he looked up and paused, tilting his head. Standing there, watching him through the doorway, was the creature all in black with the white mask. Shoma blinked at it for a moment, staring curiously, before he spoke up._

_"Aren't you getting wet?"_

_The creature just looked at him wordlessly and still, not moving an inch in the garden it was in. Shoma frowned before he nearly jumped out of his skin._

_"Hurry up Aki!"_

_"C-Coming!" He called back before he glanced at the creature outside. "I'll leave this open for you. If you want to come in out of the rain, you can."_

_And, with that, Shoma scooped up the empty bucket and carried it through the hallway to one of the other rooms where he disappeared out of sight. The shadowy creature of darkness moved like a ghost through the garden before it stepped through the open doorway, half a smile blossoming on its masked face as it disappeared in the hallway. _

He gasped, eyes widening. "M-maybe I did..."

"You serious?!" Kanko rubbed at her forehead and groaned.

"I thought he was just a customer."

"He's already swallowed two Frogs and a Slug!"

Their argument was cut off by Kikuchi. "Found it!" he held up a little slip of paper and rushed over to Shoma. "Here it is, Aki."

"We're busy Grandpa," she said with a light huff but Kikuchi all but shoved Kanako out of the way to give Shoma the paper.

"You can use this."

Shoma took the piece of paper and Kanako gasped at the pair of them.

"That's a train ticket. Where on earth did you get that?!"

"I've had it for forty years," Kikuchi explained, looking at Shoma with soft kind eyes. "Now listen, Aki. It's the sixth stop, called Swamp Bottom."

"Swamp Bottom?"

"That's right. And it's the sixth stop."

"The sixth stop."

"Yes," Kikuchi nodded. "Make sure you get it right. There used to be a return train but these days it's just a one-way ride. Are you still interested."

Shoma caught sight of Yuzuru out of the corner of his eye and nodded. "Yep. I'll walk back, along the tracks." He knelt down next to Yuzuru, face falling.

"But what about Plushenko?"

"I'll go to him now," Shoma promised as he touched a hand to Yuzuru's shoulder. "I promise I'll be back, Yuzuru. You can't die."

Kanako and Kikuchi looked between the pair of them and her eyes narrowed.

"What's going on here?"

"Don't you see? It's called love."

* * *

Back upstairs the workers of the bathhouse were running around in a state, screaming. Several were trying to find Shoma and the rest were struggling to keep the creature happy.

"It just keeps getting bigger!" one of the ladies wailed as she made a run for it, still squealing.

"Don't let it swallow me!"

"Here he comes," one of them hissed as Shoma himself made his way along the corridor. The other workers parted around him, like the Red Sea, and they all gave him filthy looks that were full of venom and hatred.

"Thank goodness Shoma," one of the doormen who had previously been nothing but vicious to him said, "Plushenko can't control him."

Something from the room beside them both shattered and the floor seemed to shake. Plushenko's muffled screeching could be heard and Shoma's eyes widened in horror. On his shoulder, Alina hid her face in Shoma's neck.

"There's no need to get upset," Plushenko tried, "I'm sure Aki will turn up." The room behind the doors then shook again and the creature spoke up this time, tone forceful and angry.

"Where is Aki? I want Aki!"

"Go," the doorman shoved Shoma firmly in the back, pushing him towards the doors, "and hurry! Plushenko-san, it's Aki!"

The doors flew open and Plushenko glared daggers at him.

"Where the hell were you?!" He snapped before he turned back to the room and gave a smile along with his customer service voice. "Aki has come, dear guest. We'll be right with you." He closed the doors behind him and the smile dropped, replaced with a glare made of ice. "What took you so long? This is a complete disaster! Suck up to him and squeeze all his gold out of him.." he tailed off, eyes fixed on Alina on Shoma's shoulder. "What on earth is that filthy rat?"

Shoma looked between the two of them and Alina's eyes lowered in sadness. "Don't you recognise her?"

"Of course not, how disgusting! Now, in you go!" He shoved Shoma in before he shut the door. "Call if you need us."

"Is he alright in there by himself?" the doorman whispered and Plushenko gave him a withering look.

"Want to take his place?"

The room was a state. Broken plates and upended bowls were everywhere, spilling food across the floor. Pieces of furniture had been thrown about the place. Sitting at the opposite end of the room to Shoma was a vast creature with a long neck made of the black shadows, a hulking mass of the black shadows that bulged from all of the foot it had eaten, and long limbs like that of a frog. From the neck that came out was a white mask covering the face, and a huge gaping mouth was drooling near where the neck met the rest of the body. Shoma stayed kneeling where he was by the door as the creature advanced on him one step at a time, making the ground shake.

"Try this," the voice of one of the frogs said as it held out a dish of meat cuts. "It's yummy." It then put it down and advanced further on Shoma. "Want some gold? I'm not giving it to anybody else." Still Shoma just sat there, eyes fixed on the creature before him. "Come over here Aki. What is it you want? You can tell me."

"Where did you come from? There is some place I have to go to right away. You should go back where you came from. You can't help me with what I want." The creature rippled at the comment, like Shoma had physically struck it, and he pressed on, speaking more. "Where's your home? Don't you have a mum and a dad?"

"I don't wanna," the creature hissed, still rippling, "Don't wanna." The mask disappeared into the mass of the creature as the neck folded itself backwards. "I'm lonely. Lonely."

Shoma backed away from the creature and ended up with his back pressed against the door as it advanced on him. "Can't you get back home?"

"I want Aki. I want Aki!" The mask emerged and a hand extended to Shoma, holding out huge nuggets of gold to him. "Take the gold."

The hand extended to wrap around Shoma's neck and, with a calmness that he had no idea where it was from, he sighed. "Are you going to eat me?"

"Take it!" The creature snapped. Before it had a chance to properly grab Shoma's neck, Alina bounced up on his shoulder and sank her sharp teeth into its hand.

The creature pulled back its hand and looked at her. It tried to swat her but the little bird carrying her back moved them both out of the way and over to Shoma.

"If you're going to eat me," Shoma extended a hand and offered up the half of the cake from the River Spirit that he hadn't given to Yuzuru. "eat this first. I was saving it for my parents, but you can have it."

He tossed it into the creature's open and drooling mouth, and it swallowed it down. Almost as soon as it did, thick brown sludge started to spill from its mouth. Shoma flinched back, ducking out of the way of the huge pink tongue that had emerged from the creature that was now writhing around, hacking up the thick oozing sludge.

"Aki!"

Shoma edge towards the door, back pressed against the wall as his eyes were locked on the creature.

"Boy! What did you feed me?!"

The creature lunged for Shoma. He yanked open the door, much to the shock of the workers waiting outside, and he bolted. Barely a second after he had gone, two of the panels of the wall were thrown down by the creature.

"Out of my way!" It snapped before it jumped away, dripping black ooze and leaving behind a sticky black trail as it chased after Shoma.

The workers in the hallways screamed and dived out of the way as Shoma slipped and slid on the hardwood floor, followed close behind by the creature. With every step that it took it left black sludge that dripped from it like wet paint. It upturned everything, blind in its rage and hyper focused on getting to the one thing that had caused it this much pain: Shoma. The child slid around a corner as Plushenko appeared to block the end of the hallway.

"Not on my premises!" He snapped. "Over here!" He summoned a ball of the wind before it glowed bright red and he tossed it straight into the creature's mask.

Just as it got to Plushenko, from both the cake from the River Spirit and Plushenko's spell, the creature heaved up another wave of the brown sludge. Plushenko was covered from head to foot in it, and the creature stormed past him to chase after Shoma, who had slipped down the stairs. It caught sight of him on the floor below and jumped over the edge of the railings, sticking to the walls as it crawled down them towards Shoma. The child sped down the stairs as the creature got ever closer, leaving trails of black sludge on the edges of the balconies and all over the floors. People scattered as Shoma ran towards them, gasping and panicking as he tripped over himself, and the creature then came thundering towards them afterwards. Shoma crashed into the wall t the bottom where he lingered, ducking just at the right time to make the creature crash too. It heaved once, twice, and brought back up the two bathhouse workers that it had swallowed, a little sticky and covered in black goo but otherwise unharmed. With every action reducing its size, the creature started to look more and more like the creature that Shoma had let in.

"I'll get you for this Aki," it choked out, following him down the corridor but this time at a walking pace. Shoma slipped out of the door and climbed down the blocks that made up the walls until he got to where Kanako was waiting with a boat.

"There he is," Shoma pointed to where the creature was walking along one of the pipes as he took off his bathhouse shirt, revealing his green and white striped shirt underneath. "Over here!"

"Don't call him over!"

The creature noticed them.

"He's only bad in the bathhouse. He needs to get out of there."

"But take him where?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know-- he's following us."

The creature dived into the water and swam along the train tracks before it stood up and gagged, coughing up the very last worker: the frog. It landed in the water before the No Face who then turned and carried on walking towards the shallow part where Shoma and Kanako were.

"From here you walk," She explained as Shoma climbed out, holding his shoes so that they didn't get wet. "You'll find the station."

"Thank you!"

"You better come back!"

"Okay," Shoma promised, waving to her as he walked along with Alina and the bird balanced on one shoulder.

"Aki! I know I called you a klutz! I take it back!"

Shoma was too far away to hear her properly; he only waved. Kanako glared at the No Face as she passed it, eyes burning.

"No Face, Patrick, if you so much as touch that boy, you'll pay for it!"

The creature nodded in understanding and followed Shoma along the tracks in the direction of the station.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After walking along the tracks for a while, Shoma and Alina finally spotted the station and climbed up onto it. It was like a little stone island that stuck out of the ocean of rainwater surrounding the bathhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are at the end of this story! Thank you so much to everyone who has stuck with this story all the way. Thank you so much for reading it and I hope you all enjoy this final chapter xx

After walking along the tracks for a while, Shoma and Alina finally spotted the station and climbed up onto it. It was like a little stone island that stuck out of the ocean of rainwater surrounding the bathhouse. Ripples spread out through the water before the waves came, slowly at first then larger and larger as the train came nearer and nearer to the platform before it came to a stop. The doors slid open as Patrick stepped up onto the platform next to them. Shoma climbed up into the compartment and stopped before the ticket officer. He held out the tickets that Kikuchi had given him, putting them in the other's outstretched gloved hand, and the ticket officer counted them before he glanced at Patrick over Shoma's shoulder.

"I'm riding to Swamp Bottom please." Shoma asked and the ticket officer pointed at Patrick. "Oh, you'd like to come too?" When Patrick nodded, Shoma gave the officer a little smile. "He would like to come too please!"

The ticket officer put the little piece of paper that Kikuchi had given him through a little shredder and it ended up in ribbons in his pouch of scrap paper. Shoma settled on one of the seats, next to a shadowy figure in a suit, with Alina as a hamster sitting on his shoulder along with the transformed bird and Patrick sitting on his other side. The train moved through the water easily and Shoma kept count of the stations in his head that they passed. At each stop that they got to, the water had dried up a little and the figures around them became fewer and fewer. The whole world was spread out around the train like an ocean; there was little to see but miles of water with the occasional little island containing a house or something else. The day drew on and Shoma watched as the sun started to lower, turning the sky from the bright blue to a pale orange and then a dark blue, lit by the lights of the stars and occasionally the lights of the station. Alina and the little bird curled up in his hands, falling asleep due to exhaustion, and Shoma kept watching the world outside as Patrick sat patiently and quietly next to him.

* * *

Lying on the floor of Kikuchi's room with a rolled up blanket under his head, Yuzuru's eyes fluttered open and he blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light. He tilted his head a little, holding back a groan of pain, and he caught sight of Kikuchi sitting against the wall next to him sleeping. Yuzuru sat up and pushed the covers off him before he crawled over and nudged Kikuchi very lightly.

"Kikuchi-san?"

The older man groaned as he was shaken awake before he gasped when he came face to face with Yuzuru.

"Yuzuru! You're awake!"

"Where is Aki? Where is Shoma?" Yuzuru asked, eyes focused and serious. On his left cheek there was still a small smear of blood but he overall looked healthy and better. "What happened? Please, tell me."

"Don't you remember anything?"

Yuzuru lowered his eyes and shook his head. "Just little pieces. Shoma kept calling my name into the darkness. I followed his voice and woke up lying here."

"Shoma huh?" Kikuchi studied him with his wise eyes, "His real name is Shoma? I guess you really can't beat the power of love."

* * *

Up in Plushenko's office, the baby stuffed its face with chocolates and sweets as Plushenko sat wrapped up in a bathrobe before the fireplace, looking at the measly pile of gold that two of the workers had collected from the disaster caused by Patrick.

"This gold hardly covers the damage." Plushenko hissed and his eyes darkened as a storm brewed in them. "That fool Aki! He just cost me a fortune!"

"But, one of the workers protested, "Aki did save us, after all."

"Silence! He started it all, and now he's run away. Even abandoned his own parents!" His temper cooled a little and he narrowed his eyes at the workers before him. "They must be fine fat pigs by now. Turn them into bacon or ham."

"Please wait," everyone's heads snapped up and turned to the doorway that Yuzuru walked into, holding his head up high and projecting a calm aura around him.

"Master Hanyu." One of them gasped and Plushenko's eyes flashed with fury.

"What, you still alive?"

Yuzuru stopped before him before he looked around the room and raised an eyebrow. "You still can't see that you've lost something precious?"

Plushenko gave him a cruel smirk and pulled the robe around himself tighter. "You've gotten pretty fresh. Since when do you talk that way?"

Yuzuru didn't move, flinch, or blink. He held Plushenko's eye contact firm and the other was the first to break it when horror crossed it and he reached for the pile of gold. The workers held their breaths as Plushenko studied the nugget on top, holding it between his fingers and up to his eye level while Yuzuru watched on with a mask of cool indifference. It flashed as bright and shiny as it had before under Plushenko's hawk-like gaze, and he looked up at Yuzuru with disdain heavy on his features. A ghost of a smug smile danced across Yuzuru's features and the clattering of a biscuit tin from across the room broke the heavy and tense silence. Plushenko turned his attention onto where the baby was sitting and stuff its face with the sweet things and his eyes narrowed as he raised a hand, drawing it across the air like he was unzipping something.

The baby froze and turned back into the three heads that Yagudin had bewitched to make them take the form of the baby. They bounced around in the mess of sweet treats, chocolates, and biscuits together, scattering the things across the floor, and Plushenko gasped in horror.

"My baby," he whispered, staring at them as they bounced for the door and vanished into the hallway, "Alina, my baby." The pile of gold next to him then turned to dirt and he let out a shriek before he smacked the table in anger, throwing things everywhere as he jumped out of his chair and ran for Alina's room.

"Alina!" He screeched, throwing pillows and plushies everywhere as he searched for her. "Where are you Alina? Come out, please! Alina!"

Calm as the eye of the storm, Yuzuru walked in and observed Plushenko's chaos. Plushenko's eyes darkened on Yuzuru and his anger overflowed.

"You!" He breathed fire at the mouth as he threw pillows and plushies everywhere, standing right before Yuzuru. The flames licked at him but didn't touch him, and the wind swirling around the room only ruffled his hair and clothes as he stood unafraid before Plushenko. "Tell me! Where did you hide my baby?!"

"She's with Yagudin," Yuzuru said, voice still calm and indifferent even as the flames licked at his face and clothes but didn't burn them.

"Yagudin?!" The flames went out and Plushenko just stared at Yuzuru as the wind around them died down too. He all but fell into a chair and his eyes burned dark again. "I get it. That evil warlock. So he thinks he's beaten me." He chuckled to himself before he fixed Yuzuru with a firm stare. "So, what's your plan?"

"I'll bring you Alina back," Yuzuru said, eyes firm and hard, "but, in exchange, you must return Aki and his parents to the human world."

"And what becomes of you? Let's say I tear you to pieces after sending them back!"

Yuzuru remained unmoved; he met Plushenko's gaze with his own, unblinking.

* * *

Well into the night, the train finally pulled up at the sixth station: Swamp Bottom. Shoma and Patrick stepped off, with Alina sitting on Shoma's shoulder, and they watched as the train sped off into the distance. Leading into the darkened forest ahead was a worn down trail of mud and soil. With a shrug, Shoma set off down the path and Patrick followed behind him. The only sounds that broke the fluttering of the tiny bird's wings were their footsteps and the sound of the frogs from the swamps. The tiny bird couldn't carry Alina the whole way so they landed and she walked, turning down Shoma's offer for her to ride on his shoulder again. The little group kept walking when something squeaked up ahead, making Alina stop. Shoma stopped too and then Patrick, and they watched as a light bobbled up and down, getting closer and closer. They watched, and Shoma's jaw dropped, as a lantern bounced towards them and stopped, bowing to them before it turned and set off. They followed after it along the path that wound through the trees and led to a little cottage tucked away in one area. They walked through the wooden archway and the lantern hung itself back up over the top of it. Tentatively, Shoma reached out to knock on the wooden door but it swung open before he could.

"Come in," Yagudin's voice echoed from inside and Shoma took a deep breath before he stepped through.

"Excuse us," he offered politely as he looked around, lingering in the doorway.

"Well, hurry up and come in then." Yagudin closed the door behind Shoma and Patrick before he gave the youngster a firm look. "So you all made it."

"Um," Shoma exchanged a look with Alina on his shoulder.

"Have a seat," Yagudin gestured to the wooden chairs around the table at the centre of the cottage. "I'll make you some tea."

The inside was very simple. The downstairs was all one room with a kitchen and fireplace at one end and the table taking up most of the space in the middle. Shoma rushed over to where Yagudin was putting the kettle on the stove and he bowed, holding out the golden seal to him.

"Yagudin-san, Yuzuru stole this from you. I brought it back."

Yagudin took the seal from Shoma with confusion lacing his eyes. He held it up, raising an eyebrow at Shoma.

"Do you know what this is?"

"No," Shoma admitted, "but I know it's very precious. I'm here to apologise for Yuzuru. I'm sorry."

"You felt fine while you held it?" Yagudin asked.

"What?"

Yagudin held up the seal and his face fell, mouth falling open in shock. "What's this? The spell is gone?"

"I'm sorry!" Shoma began again. "I stepped on that strange bug that was on the seal and squashed it."

"Squashed it?" Yagudin's eyes went wide before he burst out laughing, adding to Shoma's growing confusion. "You know, my brother snuck that bug into the dragon so that he could control his apprentice. And you squashed it!" He dissolved into yet more laughter that made Shoma's head spin. "You sit too," Yagudin guided him over to one of the wooden seats to settle on and he patted Shoma's shoulder before he turned to Patrick. "You're a No Face, aren't you? Sit down as well."

"Oh, um," Shoma gestured to where Alina and the little bird were sitting on his shoulder, "please turn them back into themselves."

"Why, my dears," Yagudin gave the two critters a soft smile, "the spell's long broken. You can turn yourselves back."

The two creatures shook their heads before Yagudin took them in his hands. He carried them over to the spinning wheel and they jumped into it, spinning the thread as Alina ran around inside the wheel and the little bird ran on the outside, pausing so that both could catch their breaths from time to time. Shoma, Patrick, and Yagudin sat at the table together and Yagudin laid out a spread of tea and biscuits for them.

"My brother and I are two halves of a whole, but we really don't get along. You've seen what bad taste he has. Sorcerer brothers are just a recipe for trouble."

Alina and the little bird climbed up onto the table, taking a break, and they made a bee-line for the plate of cookies. Patrick cut himself a slice of the cake while Shoma shifted in his seat and Yagudin continued.

"I'd like to help you, dear, but there's nothing I can do. It's one of our rules here. You've got to take care of your parents and that dragon boyfriend of yours on your own."

Choosing to ignore some of the phrasing, even as he flushed pink, Shoma fiddled with his spoon. "But, um, can't you even give me a hint? I feel like Yuzuru and I met, a long time ago."

"In that case, it's easy," Yagudin shrugged a little before he sipped at his tea. "Nothing that happens is ever forgotten, even if you can't remember it." Shoma chewed his lip and Yagudin checked the time. "It's already late. Why don't you stay the night? You, Patrick, and Alina, you give me a hand now."

Underneath the light of a thousand stars, while Shoma was curled up on a chair in the corner trying to remember, Yagudin smiled and gave gentle encouragement to Alina and the little bird on the spinning wheel. Patrick helped to feed in the fibre for spinning and Yagudin gave him an encouraging smile.

"That's right, you're terrific! You're a big help. A magic one won't do the trick." He helped the creatures off the wheel and have them knitting needles and a ball of yarn, guiding them. "Pull it through there, and do it again."

Shoma chewed his lip and stood up, waiting next to Yagudin. "I really have to go home," he mumbled, "Yuzuru could die while I'm just sitting here." Tears welled up in his eyes and, once they started to flow, he couldn't get them to stop. "T-they might eat my mum and dad!"

Yagudin patted his shoulder before he turned back to the knitting of the others. "Just wait a little longer." He finished off something in his hands before he cut at the loose threads and smiled. "There we go." He offered the purple woven bracelet to Shoma. "Wear it around your wrist."

"It's beautiful," Shoma studied it and Yagudin nodded with a smile.

"It'll protect you. I made it from the thread they spun."

"Thank you," Shoma bowed his head before he slipped it onto his wrist.

Something outside made the windows and doors rattle and Shoma's head snapped up. Yagudin had a knowing smile and he pushed himself to his feet with a little laugh.

"What good timing. We've got another guest. Aki, why don't you let him in?"

"Sure." Shoma turned and, still carrying the weight of his hopelessness, he opened up the door.

His eyes widened and he gasped in delight. Standing there, healed fully and with soft white and teal fur fluttering in the breeze, was Yuzuru in his dragon form. Shoma threw back the door and ran, pulling him into a hug as he wrapped his arms around his snout so that their faces were pressed together.

"Yuzu! Oh thank goodness! Aren't you hurt? Are you sure you're okay?"

Yagudin watched from his cottage with a smile, and Patrick poked his head out of the door too to watch the two embrace.

"Good timing, I'd say," Yagudin laughed to himself before he stepped out.

"Look! Yuzuru's alive!" Shoma was almost giddy with excitement and the dragon lowered his head in a bow of apology.

"Yuzuru. I no longer blame you for what you did." Yagudin explained, "Just be sure you protect your boy." He then turned to Alina and the little bird and smiled. "Alright my little niece. Time you all went home. Come again soon."

Alina placed a little kiss on his nose before the bird carried her over to Shoma. He caught her and set her on his shoulder as Yagudin stopped Patrick from going after them.

"You should stick around and be my helper."

Patrick nodded with enthusiasm and Shoma ran over to throw himself into a tight hug with Yagudin.

"Thank you. I'm going now."

"I'm sure you can manage everything," Yagudin encouraged.

"My real name is Shoma."

"Shoma. What a nice name. Take good care of it! It's yours."

"I will!" Shoma promised.

"Off you go now!"

"Goodbye!" Shoma called from where he was sitting on Yuzuru's back.

The dragon took off, taking to the clear skies lit by thousands of stars. The world spread out below them like a huge clear map and Shoma held onto his horns for dear life. The feeling was so familiar, like he was surrounded by water when the same thing had occurred.

"Listen, Yuzuru." Shoma slid closer to the dragon's ears so that he didn't have to shout over the noise of the wind, "I don't remember it, but my mum told me that once, when I was little, I fell into a river. She said they'd drained it and built things on top. But I've just remembered: the river was called the Kohanyu River. Your real name is Kohanyu. Yuzuru Kohanyu."

Yuzuru's eyes flew open and the fur of his dragon form fell off like scales as he transformed back into his human form mid air. They free fell together and Yuzuru took hold of Shoma's hands as his eyes shone from tears reflecting the moonlight.

"Shoma! Thank you! My real name is Yuzuru Kohanyu!"

"What a cool name! You sound like a god!"

"I remember too! I remember how you fell into me as a child. You had dropped your shoe!"

"Yes! You carried me to shallow water, Yuzuru!"

They pressed their foreheads together, both smiling with their eyes closed as they continued to free fall. Just above the water, Yuzuru hugged Shoma tighter and flew so that they didn't hit it full force. He guided them, skimming over the edge of it before they flew up above the clouds and watched as dawn broke.

* * *

The sun rose by the bathhouse and Plushenko paced in front of the dozen pigs he'd lined up in the pen as his impatience got the better of him. Kanako poked her head out from behind one of the roofs of the buildings nearby and a smile lit up her face.

"Hey look! They're back!"

The other workers all perked up too, jumping up and watching as Yuzuru and Shoma landed on the other side of the bridge. The little bird carried Alina as a hamster over to Plushenko and he just glared at Yuzuru and Shoma.

"You brought her back with you, right?"

The hamster was set down before him and it grew up to show Alina while the workers gasped. Plushenko threw his arms around her with a gasp.

"You're not hurt? What a terrible time you had!" He gasped and his jaw dropped. "Alina! You're standing all by yourself! When?"

"Plushenko!" Yuzuru snapped, "You promised! Return Shoma's family to the human world!"

"Not so fast," Plushenko glared at the pair of them. "This world has rules, you know."

"Just can it," Alina piped up, "Alina had such a good time."

"But, Alina, a rule's a rule."

"If you make Aki cry, I won't like you anymore!"

"I'm coming to you," Shoma cut in as he crossed over the bridge, "Yuzuru told me all about the rule."

"At least you've got guts," Plushenko said with a smirk before he led Shoma to the pen with the pigs. "See if you can guess which of them are yours. You only get one guess. Get it right and you're all free."

Shoma looked at each of the pigs before his face fell. "This is no good. My parents aren't here."

Everyone watching on collectively held their breath as Plushenko's eyes narrowed and he held Shoma's contract tighter in his hand.

"Not here?! That's your answer?"

Shoma nodded and his contract burst to pieces in Plushenko's hand. The pigs all transformed into normal bathhouse workers who congratulated him and cheered along with the others. Shoma bowed to Plushenko and he waved to the others before he reached the other side of the bridge and took Yuzuru's hand as they ran down the steps together, following the path that Shoma had first come up so long ago.

"Where are my mum and dad?"

"They've gone on ahead," Yuzuru explained.

They ran together and they reached the edge of the river. This time there was no water, just like when Shoma and his family had first crossed over, and Yuzuru squeezed his hand lightly.

"I can't go any further. Go back the way you came, Shoma. But don't ever look back. Not until you're out of the tunnel."

"What about you, Yuzuru?" he asked, eyes wide and Yuzuru gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'll speak to Plushenko. Quit my apprenticeship. I'm fine, now that I have my name back. I'll go back to my world too."

"Can we meet again?" Shoma whispered, eyes filling with tears as he held Yuzuru's hand tighter and searched his face.

Yuzuru leaned down and placed a kiss to Shoma's cheek. "I'm sure. I promise you. Now go, Shoma, and don't look back."

Yuzuru held their joined hands out and Shoma ran down the stairs, holding on as long as he could without looking back. His hand slipped out of Yuzuru's and the other watched, standing at the top of the slope as Shoma ran down the grassy hilltop, keeping his head firmly forwards. He didn't trust himself to slow down until he reached the bottom and nearly fell over.

"Shoma!" His mother called out as his father stood waving beside her, "Where have you been? Hurry up!"

Shoma gasped and ran into her arms, hugging her tightly to make sure that she was actually real.

"You can't just run off like that," she said as she patted his head and took his hand to lead him through the tunnel.

"Watch your step you two."

"You'll make us trip if you cling to me like that Shoma," his mother chided but her tone was soft and gentle.

They left the tunnel and Shoma's father pulled a face at the leaves all over their car. Shoma stopped in the entrance of the tunnel and stared back at where he'd just been while his parents fussed over the dusty inside of their car.

"We're off, Shoma."

His father's gentle tone cut him out of his daydream and he wiped his eyes on the back of his sleeve to hide his tears from his family before he climbed into the back of the car and took out the note from his pocket. The tunnel grew smaller and smaller as they drove away, and Shoma bit the inside of his cheek.

_Good luck Shoma-kun! We'll meet again. Your best friend, Keiji._

_I'll see you again sometime Yuzuru,_ Shoma whispered to himself, _I promise__._


End file.
